Fire and Ice
by CArulez
Summary: They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they? TXG
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**CHAPTER ONE**

"I'm going to miss you!" Ryan Evans said, pulling his friend tighter in his embrace. "Four years of crazy college life, almost one year of work together in that tiny crappy office, and now look at you! My Gabriella Montez, all grown up!" He laughed, ruffling her dark curls affectionately. Gabriella smiled, punching him lightly. She memorized the way one of her best friends' arms felt around her, the way his blonde hair glinted in the sun, and how his brown eyes shone.

"I'll miss you too, Ryan," she murmured, burying her face into his chest.

"Alright, alright. Remember, you know Sharpay. She'll meet you at the exit. And as her former roommate of 18 years, I will warn you this—beware of pink. And sparkles. Oh, and designer stuff. It grows on you," Ryan chuckled at the memory of his dramatic twin. "You'll love LA, Gabs. And we all know you deserve the post."

Gabriella smiled, pulling away. "Thank you so much, Ry. For everything. Come visit me, okay?" She sucked in the tears that were threatening to leak out, blinking up at Ryan. He nodded, then pushed her towards the doors of the Logan Airport in Boston.

"Good luck!"

Gabriella looked back one more time before pulling her simple black suitcase through the glass doors. After methodically going checking in, going through security, and quietly boarding the plane, she finally was able to sink down in her seat and relax. The last few weeks had been hectic, between getting ready to move and saying goodbye to Ryan. Closing her eyes, she pushed her emotions down. She would miss Ryan, her close friend all through college, and one of her only friends still in Boston. She would miss Boston, and its cold winters. But she was excited to be taking this new step in life, moving across the country to pursue her dreams as a writer for the LA Times, a job offer she'd gotten a week before. Gabriella Montez would soon be living her dream. She'd given up so much to be a writer. She was dizzyingly excited for this new change of events in her life.

She didn't know exactly how much the change would mean to her.

The piercing sound of Coach Anderson's whistle pierced the air, drowning out the sound of all the sneakered feet pounding on the floor and the basketball echoing off the walls.

"Alright boys, that's all for today! Good job," he grinned at them, pausing a bit longer on their captain, the tall, sandy haired, blue-eyed basketball machine confidently standing amongst the other basketball stars. "Get some rest, and we'll meet here tomorrow at 8am." With that, he turned on his heels and headed for the locker rooms.

The team, all in their twenties, started cheering and headed for the showers, Troy Bolton in the lead, laughing and joking with his teammates. No matter how hard he laughed or how drunk he got, Troy Bolton always kept his cool, something that made the team and the rest of the world respect him and want to know him even more. He never smiled with his eyes, he never laughed with all his heart, and he never, ever lost the calm, collected look in his icy blue eyes. Very few people knew the real Troy Bolton, the person behind the statuesque figure and seemingly perfect life. Exception: Chad Danforth, his best friend since preschool, and his basketball buddy since elementary school.

"Hey man, you're coming to the party Shar is having tonight, right?" Chad said, drying off his thick mane of curly brown hair with a towel.

"Of course," Troy replied, rubbing gel through his hair and spiking it. "What's the party for, again?"

"Eh," Chad shrugged, "It's Shar. She has parties. It's like, the way of life." They laughed, thinking about the almost weekly parties their friend Sharpay Evans held.

"Is that one of the reasons you date her?" Troy smirked, glancing at Chad.

Chad grinned cheekily. "Nah, it's because she's gorgeous and talented and funny and caring and…"

"A goddess in bed, yes, you've told me." Troy laughed as Chad turned pink.

"Oh yeah, I remember now!" Chad suddenly exclaimed, "Gabs is coming today! She's going to be Sharpay's new roommate for the time being."

"Gabs?" Troy asked confusedly. Their little group of friends consisted of people that most of them had known through college, and the name "Gabs" was unfamiliar to him.

"Oh yeah, you don't know her. Gabriella Montez? She went through high school with me and Taylor, and then went to college with us at UCLA before transferring to Harvard before we met you. Now she's a journalist for The LA Times," Chad said proudly, taking out the keys to his truck as they walked out of the courts and waved at their teammates.

Troy nodded. "Ah, right. I think you've mentioned her before—"

"MR. BOLTON! A FEW QUESTIONS?" "MR. DANFORTH! WE HEARD THAT YOUR GIRLFRIEND SHARPAY EVANS CHEATED ON YOU!" "MR. BOLTON! WHAT IS THIS ABOUT A BABY?" "SMILE, TROY, SMILE!" "MR. DANFORTH, IS IT TRUE YOU STOLE A RABBIT FROM THE PETTING ZOO AND GAVE IT TATTOOS WHEN YOU WERE DRUNK?"

Troy and Chad, with the skills of experts, quickly dodged the paparazzi, sliding into Chad's BMW before speeding off.

Chad sighed. "Don't worry, Gabriella isn't that kind of journalist. She's actually kind of… Intense."

Troy shrugged. "Rabbit?" He chuckled, his icy blue eyes melting a little.

Chad rolled his eyes. "Please. It was a FROG."

Gabriella has forgotten how much she missed Sharpay. She's also forgotten how different she was from her twin brother Ryan and how… Dramatic she was. Her mansion was enormous and was incredibly tastefully done. Tall ceilings, crystal chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling windows, yet richly furnished, modern and classic, warm and spacey at the same time. It was amazing. And currently, the house was filled with all the "it" people in LA, the most artistic actors and actresses, the most creative film directors, the sexiest models, the hottest athletes, and the best journalists. Of course, almost an hour into the party, and all of them were drunk, or at least slightly buzzed, including Gabriella. She worked her way from group to group, a glass of champagne in her hand, smiling and laughing and mingling before moving on. Her mind, however, was still focused upon her job the next day.

"GABSTER!" She twirled around, and immediately was engulfed in a pair of familiar muscular arms. She could feel his afro tickling her cheeks and she laughed.

"CHAD! Oh my God, it's been ages. I've missed you so much!" She glanced up at him, noticing the small changes in his appearance; older, wilder hair, bigger muscles. Same cheeky grin.

"Gabby, Gabby, the little reporter," she heard from behind her. Again she twirled around, and squealed when she saw Jason Cross and Zeke Baylor who were standing with a big, beautiful cake in their hands.

"Zeke! I knew you'd do it!" She giggled, glancing pointedly at the cake. "I think that I may have to write a few articles about how you're such a successful owner of Baylor's Bakery while juggling being a star," she sang. "And Cross! Mr. Cross, I believe that you have gotten shorter." Gabriella grinned up at the now quite nicely dressed class clown that had teased her for her height in high school. Both Zeke and Jason couldn't help but laugh and enclose Gabriella in hugs.

"GABRIELLA MONTEZ!" "TAYLOR MCKESSIE!" Gabriella could barely breathe as she was yanked out of the boys' arms and again drowned in another hug, but softer. She closed her eyes, breathing in the familiar smell of Taylor, all citrus and clean dryer sheets. As they parted, both girls had tears in their eyes. They all stood in a circle, just like in college, as Sharpay had reappeared with bottles of champagne. She had already engulfed Gabriella in a sparkly and sweet-smelling hug at the airport, but she did so again just because. Gabriella committed the moment to memory: her best friend Taylor, her dark skin radiant against her white dress, her personal drama queen Sharpay in a short, jewel-encrusted pink halter dress, her boys Chad, Zeke, and Jason in their button-down shirts and of course, basketball shoes. She smiled, her warm chocolate brown eyes glowing like embers of a fire. She radiated happiness.

Troy Bolton, on the other hand, looked on the group as an outsider. It was strange how this one girl came and all his friends migrated to her like a fire on cold night. He didn't like the feeling of being excluded, and it brought back memories that he hastily shoved back deep inside him. He stared at the new brunette, Gabriella. She was petite, slender, with soft curls running down her back. Her tan skin glimmered against her flowing yellow dress. She was gorgeous, and she practically glowed. He looked on, feeling a sudden jealously of this mysterious stranger. He wanted to go talk to her, to tell her these were his friends, and maybe ask her out at the same time? A waiter passed by, and he took a random glass full of colorful liquid.

"Hey Troy," a blonde whispered, strutting up to him in a skimpy dress. "You're looking lonely tonight. How bout I help you with that?" He nodded at her full figure appreciatively, before gulping his drink down and locking his arms around her waist.

That's when the night really began.

**A/N: Alright. Painfully long and slow first chapter. Bear with me, okay? It gets dramatic and slightly less dragged out later. I'm kind of rusty, so please, constructive criticism and anything you have to say will be extremely appreciated! Thank you so much for reading : ) **

**If you have any questions, please ask. I'll update soon! **

**Lexi. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: **I realize this was missing in the last chapter. Sorry about that. I don't own anything.

He was more half a head taller than her even with her heels on, she could see his sculpted muscles in his formfitting white shirt, his sandy blonde hair was carefully styled in that perfectly messy way, and his crystal clear blue eyes stared steadily at her through a drunken haze.

In other words, he was the embodiment of everything that she feared and hated. Gabriella, with her quick journalist instincts, tried to analyze him before he even spoke to her. However, she couldn't. She found no clues about any part of his life. Basketball player, yes, but that was obvious. Did he have some tragic history? Was he a player? Was he in secret alliance with the government, or was he with the terrorists? She searched him desperately, but with no avail. Immediately, it pissed her off. She could read everyone… right?

"Gabs, this is Troy Bolton," Chad felt guilty for not remembering Troy earlier and tried to fill the awkward silence. "Troy, this is Gabriella Montez, one of my best friends." He glanced between them, sensing the tension.

Troy fought back a smile and the twinge of annoyance he felt. She was such a reporter, trying to figure him out. Like it was that easy. He was the king of hiding his emotions, and he knew that he was frustrating her. "It's nice to meet you," he smiled.

Gabriella resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He was totally enjoying her frustration, which infuriated her even more. Plus, there was just something about him that rang familiar to her, but she couldn't put her finger on it, making her even more pissed off. Everything about this guy put up screaming alarms in her mind. "The pleasure's all mine," she replied, tight-lipped, her dark eyes narrowed.

The queen of dramatics, Sharpay could tell there was going on between Troy and Gabriella. She sighed quietly, and slipped her arms through Taylor and Gabriella's. "Ladies, I believe it's time to hit the bar. We'll see you around," she said quickly, swiftly maneuvering them away from the four boys.

"Hey Gabby, we're going to go to the restroom for a sec, head up to the bar and get us some drinks please?" Sharpay gave Gabriella a small shove in the direction of the bar in the far corner of the living room before dragging Taylor off to the bathroom in the hallway, away from the throng of people.

"Okay, Taylor," she looked at the dark beauty quizzically, "there is something going on between Troy and Gabriella. What gives?"

"I don't know, Shar," Taylor shrugged, "Maybe they're both just nervous? And a little drunk maybe."

"Way too drunk," Sharpay examined her perfectly manicured nails, deep in thought.

"It's weird, though," Taylor said suddenly, "Did you see Troy earlier?"

Sharpay sniffed in distaste. "I saw him walk upstairs to one of the guest rooms with that Playboy model, Lisa Hannah Jones all over him. They rather stumbled up the stairs and I swear she was rubbing his dick…"

Taylor's eyes widened in shock. "What? Troy, with a random slut? Impossible."

"It's true. I know that he's against one night stands and always lectures us about sex and safety and shit, but I saw what I saw." Sharpay sighed dramatically. "This is getting us nowhere, there's no point in wondering about Troy's love life. He's always been a weird one."

"But what about Gabs?" Taylor asked, glancing around the corner where Gabriella was sitting at the bar… Beside Troy. "Oh shit, they're together. Should we interrupt?"

Sharpay glanced at them and then at where Chad had begun to flirt with a busty brunette. "We can let them bond. I have other business to attend to…" She narrowed her eyes before strutting off in Chad's direction.

Earlier, Gabriella had pushed through the crowd of now extremely drunk famous people and plopped into a soft, fancy barstool with a sigh. Her head buzzed a little from her encounter with Troy Bolton, but she pushed her curiosity and anxiety away.

"Two Cosmos and one vodka martini," she said to the closet bartender, her head in her hands.

The bartender looked at the brunette beauty with her curls spilling over her shoulders and smiled sympathetically. "Long day?" he asked, shaking their drinks.

She sighed. "Unbelievably."

"You new around here?" he asked. Gabriella glanced up.

"Is it that obvious?" She smiled tiredly.

He chuckled, skillfully pouring the cocktails. "Nah, I haven't seen you around here at one of Sharpay's parties before, and you don't seem like the typical LA type." Gabriella cocked one of her eyebrows. "You know, snobby, rich and famous."

Gabriella immediately thought of Troy. "Well, yeah, I just moved here from Boston."

The bartender grinned. "Go Red Sox," he laughed. She joined in, and really looked at him for the first time. He was tall, had light brown hair, smiling dark green eyes, an easy smile and contagious laugh.

"I'm Gabriella," smiling shyly.

"Matt," he replied, sliding her drinks over the counter. "Nice to meet you, Gabriella."

That was the second time she'd heard that, but this time seemed much more genuine and nicer. "You, too." But then he was gone, whisked away in the frenzy of demanding rich and snobby people desperate to get wasted. Gabriella sighed, playing the hem of her dress and wondering what her friends were up to.

"Go easy there," she heard a deep voice say to her right. She glanced up, and immediately met a pair intense cerulean eyes. "Take it easy on the alcohol, it's only your first day."

"Not all of them are mine," she snapped. "I ordered some drinks for Taylor and Sharpay."

"Well won't they be disappointed," Troy replied, glancing at the three almost empty glasses in front of the petite brunette. Gabriella followed his gaze, and flushed when she realized she'd unknowingly drank Taylor and Sharpay's drinks as well.

She stared at Troy, her eyes blazing, disliking the fact that he made her so uncomfortable. "At least I'm not the one hooking up with random sluts," she said, slurring slightly, the alcohol getting to her. Troy eyes flashed with surprise, his smirk disappearing. Score, Gabriella thought.

"How did you—" Troy stuttered.

"You don't have a girlfriend, obviously," Gabriella leaned back against the counter, turning entirely towards Troy, "Sharpay would've mentioned her and you haven't been texting or calling anyone so far. You just had sex, as the hickey on your neck, your obvious sex hair and your undone shoelaces show. Plus, if you had just slept with your girlfriend, you wouldn't have furiously wiped away the overly shiny and bright pink lip gloss like you did with your sleeve before," Gabriella pointed at the smear of lip gloss on his sleeve and on his face. "And if it was your girlfriend, you probably wouldn't be standing here talking to me after a quick fuck. So it was a random hook up with some slut with bright pink lip gloss, too much perfume on, and long blonde hair." Gabriella leaned over, so her face was inches away from Troy and he could smell the alcohol on her breath, and plucked a strand of long, blonde hair from his shirt collar staring dead on into his eyes the entire time. Smilingly smugly, she willed him to talk back.

Troy was stunned, even in his drunken state. No one had ever read him like that before. Ever. It was like he was an open book lying on the table for her to flip through at will. This total stranger, this strange newcomer that all of his friends loved. "Fucking reporters," he narrowed his eyes angrily, the cool, calm look gone. "Always snooping into other people's business. Nosy idiots."

Gabriella started fuming. This was her career, her life, that he was insulting. Just because she'd been able to see a little bit of what other people couldn't. How arrogant was this guy? "I am not just a reporter, I tell people about the important things in life. About world disasters and how people have the strength to survive. About world leaders and the changes they make in our lives. About hunger and thirst and fire and death and happiness and love. Our work inspires people. What do you do? Throw a ball around until you get older and you don't have the physical capacity and slowly spend your money on useless things. Hook up with random people—"

"You don't know anything about me," Troy snapped, his eyes flashing. "Stop acting like you do." He wanted desperately to say more, to yell at her for being ignorant and stupid, for being nosy and seeing straight through him.

"Please." Gabriella scoffed. "You're the type of person we all know, the one with the perfect life and that perfect façade and that perfect cold shell, protecting something hollow inside. Don't I know you?"

"You're wrong," Troy said, regaining his composure. His eyes hardened, his cold walls going up again. He straightened up and walked through the crowd of people without looking back. Halfway through the living room, he changed directions and started for the French doors leading to the balcony. Suddenly, a slender hand wrapped around his arm.

"Troy, baby, I think we have some unfinished business to do," he heard Lisa murmur into his ear from behind him. He turned to look at her, and he was suddenly aware of the overpowering, sickly sweet smell of her perfume, and how her lips were too glossy and too pink. Another waiter walked by, and he again grabbed a glass of unknown colorful liquid, some form of hard liquor. "You know, I really had fun with you, babe," Lisa whispered seductively, sliding closer to him and pressing her barely covered chest against his.

Troy pushed her away gently. "Look, Lisa, I don't think this is a good idea… It was a mistake, okay? I had fun, but that can't happen again." He quickly turned away and headed out the doors, breathing in the cool, crisp night air. It was way past midnight, and he looked up at the stars, remembering a certain drunken night when he'd made a mistake that had haunted him since then. A shiver ran through him, and he pushed the thoughts away. Gabriella Montez. Her face flashed in his mind, first the frustrated way she'd looked at him at first, and then the way her cheeks flushed and her chocolate brown eyes had burned with anger and hate. She was judgmental, nosy, and arrogant, something he hated in people. Why did his life have to turn upside down when she arrived? First, she was the center of all his friends' attention. He knew it was selfish, but he was too drunk and mad to care. Second, the night she came he got drunk and randomly hooked up with some model. He hadn't done that since… He didn't want to think about that. He sighed deeply.

"You okay, buddy?" he hadn't heard Chad sneak up on him like that, and he jumped a little. Chad glanced worriedly at Troy.

"Yeah," Troy straightened up, turning to his best friend with a cool smile. "I'm great."

Gabriella, on the other hand, was still fuming. She wasn't finished with him. How could he just walk away like that? She consumed the last drop of alcohol, and rested her head on the cool marble counter.

"Are you okay, Gabriella?" She looked up and met Matt's sympathetic gaze.

"Can I have a glass of your hardest liquor, please?" she sighed.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Matt shook his head. "How about… how about you give me your number, go home and get some rest, and maybe go out with me this Friday?"

"Are you taking advantage of my drunken depression to ask me out?" Gabriella giggled a little at Matt's offended expression.

"Well, Miss Gabriella, I would never take advantage of anyone," he smiled gently. Gabriella took a pen out of her purse, scribbled her number on a napkin and slid it over to him.

"I think I should go crash, my head hurts," she rubbed her temples. "Night, Matt."

"Sleep well, Gabriella," he took the napkin, folding it and sticking it into his pocket. "I'll call you."

She waved slightly and stumbled off a little, before spying a very comfortable looking couch and sinking into it, closing her eyes and letting the party noises fade from around her.

The next day, Gabriella awoke with a pounding headache.

"Well, good morning Sleeping Beauty!" Chad sang from beside her. Gabriella groaned, throwing off the blanket someone had covered her with in the night. She opened her eyes a slit and stared up at Chad who was basked in the morning sunshine slanting through the floor to ceiling windows.

"Fuck, Chad, my head hurts," she pouted, smiling inside, and sat up. "Ugh, I'm so thirsty. Is there a cup of water somewhere?"

"Gabs, Gabs, this is what you get for getting wasted," Chad laughed. He stood up and handed her a bottle of water. She thanked him and began guzzling it down.

"Alright Gabriella," Sharpay came over to them, holding a plate of pancakes. Gabriella looked around and realized that Taylor, Zeke, and Jason were all sprawled out on various couches and chairs around the coffee table in front of her. "This is the plan. Once these fools wake up, we're going shopping. You have work tomorrow, you need good clothes. And secondly, tonight we're going on a double date!" Sharpay clapped her hands, smiling at the confused brunette in front of her.

"Huh? Shar, I don't have a boyfriend if you haven't noticed," Gabriella yawned, running a hand through her messy curls.

"Okay, so double date is a loose term," Chad rolled his eyes at Sharpay. "Zeke, Taylor, Zeke, Jason and Jason's girlfriend Kelsi are all busy tonight, so we thought about going out for a movie and some ice cream tonight. To celebrate your coming here in a less… formal way I guess."

"I believe the word you're looking for is 'insane'," Gabriella heard Taylor murmur through a pillow.

"The point is, we'll have fun, alright Gabs?" Shar nudged Gabriella and sat next to her on the couch.

"Wait, who's my date? If it is a 'double date'," Gabriella reached for the pancakes. "I don't want to intrude on your date."

Chad and Sharpay glanced at each other. "Umm, it's Troy. Remember him?"

Gabriella paused, a bite of pancake halfway to her lips. She remembered him all too clearly, and despite her throbbing head she knew this was a bad idea.

"Guys…" she started, fighting back a frown.

"It'll be fun! You just have to get to know him. Okay, enjoy the pancakes, toodles!" Sharpay jumped up, and dragged Chad away, leaving a stunned and helpless Gabriella and surrounded by three of her very hungover friends.

Chad nervously glanced at Sharpay as soon as they were out of earshot in the kitchen. "You sure about this, Shar? I know I told you about what Troy said, but…"

"Trust me," Sharpay said, looking in the mirror and fixing her makeup. "It'll all go perfectly."

**A/N: Hey guys, thanks for reading! I hope you liked this one. I struggled with it for a while. So Troy and Gabriella meet, and they don't exactly click. What do you think Chad and Shar have planned for them? Comments, reviews, constructive criticism extremely appreciated. Please?**

**Lexi**


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**CHAPTER THREE**

"Gabriella Montez, will you stop it?" Sharpay demanded angrily, her voice an octave higher than usual.

"What?" Gabriella said defensively.

"Give me those boring clothes!" Sharpay lunged forward, quickly snatching away the handful of simple, plain work clothes Gabriella had in her arms and swapped them for an armful of patterned, colorful, bedazzled clothes. Gabriella sighed. It was only a little bit past noontime, and after their sushi lunch Sharpay had insisted on recreating Gabriella's wardrobe, dragging a too willing Taylor along as well. "Montez, you're going on a date tonight. I've seen your clothes… ugh," Sharpay shuddered. "I thought I was going through my work-obsessed grandmother's."

Gabriella's perfectly lined eyes widened in shock. "First of all, Shar, it's not a date! You and Chad set us up, and I really don't have a choice in the matter, do I?" she paused, looking at Sharpay, who shook her head. "Secondly, how and when did you see my clothes?"

Taylor, who was sifting through the clearance rack, laughed heartily. "Gabs, don't you remember? Sharpay always looks through other people's clothes. She did it in college too. I swear, the woman has no boundaries," Taylor grinned, pulling a caramel colored sweater off the rack. Eying the sweater, Sharpay shook her head again and Taylor put it back.

"Well, I'm sorry if I get curious," Sharpay pushed Gabriella into the changing room, "And you, sweetie, definitely need my help." Gabriella rolled her eyes before casting a pleading glance at Taylor before being shut in the overly furnished changing room.

"Trust her," Taylor said seriously. "So Gabs, excited about your date with Troy?"

"Guys, please!" Gabriella exclaimed, exasperated. Even the thought about going out with Troy was insane to her. Troy? No way. "It is not a date in any way." She hastily pulled on a white shirt with too much lace, something she'd never pick out for herself, before walking out of the room.

"Not bad," Sharpay nodded appreciatively. "Look, Gabby, I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop complaining about all the things I'm doing for you, including the shopping. First of all, when was the last time you went out with a few girlfriends and shopped?" At Gabriella's awkward silence, Sharpay nodded. "Exactly. We love you, Gabs, and we're only trying to help you. As for the date that I've been so kind enough to set up for you," Sharpay leveled her intense brown eyes at Gabriella. "For your information, Troy told both me and Chad that he wanted to spend more time with you and he wants to get to know you better. This is a great opportunity for you guys to bond. There's nothing wrong with a friendship with one of the hottest superstars in the world, right?"

"I bet almost all the girls on this planet would die to trade spots with you," Taylor added as Gabriella headed back into the fitting room.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry. What's so special about him, anyway?" Gabriella asked, becoming slightly curious about this stranger, someone who obviously influenced the people around him heavily. "He seemed pretty stuck up and arrogant to me. Not to mention cold. Plus, he slept with a slut last night. Kind of typical rich and famous player, in my opinion." Gabriella slipped a rose-colored dress over her head and opened the door.

"Okay," Taylor started, taking a seat in a plush chair in front of the three-way mirror with a pile of clothes in her lap, "Get ready to hear the Troy Bolton story. Shar and I met him at the end of sophomore year in college, right after you transferred to Harvard. He transferred to UCLA from Brown, I think, to pursue a basketball career in LA. Chad, Zeke, and Jason had known him before as he'd lived only a town away from us in high school, you know, Santa Fe?" At this, Gabriella jumped slightly, a shiver running down her spine as she changed into a pair of ripped white jeans. Santa Fe did not hold good memories for her… "They'd played each other a few times in high school, and apparently Chad had been one of his best friends in kindergarten. So basically, we all became really tight. After college, the boys became hotshot basketball players for the Lakers, Sharpay is now a famous actress/director/singer/interior designer," Gabriella twirled around in the flowered sun dress she'd put on and raised an eyebrow at Sharpay, who grinned and curtsied, "and I opened up my business. So that's how we've been in the past three years." Taylor finished.

Sharpay chuckled. "Enough about the boring stuff: here's the deal. So none of us really know about Troy's story before college, aside from Chad. But being Chad, he won't say anything. All I know is that something bad happened to Troy junior year of high school and he changed big time. Troy is a really, genuinely sweet guy, Gabs. He doesn't date a lot, and he only had one girlfriend, they were pretty serious, in college. He's actually quite intelligent, graduating top of the class behind Taylor of course, and he's pretty laid-back and fun to be with. But the thing about Troy is he respects you. He respects girls, does the whole chivalry thing; opening doors, paying for meals, letting you order first, always without the blink of an eyes. He takes sex extremely seriously," Sharpay paused thoughtfully, smoothing down her blonde curls, "I guess last night was a lapse in his judgment. He respects his teammates, he respects the old lady walking too slowly across the street, and he respects the slow waiters in bad restaurants… It's who he is. But you have to get to know him first. Let him warm up to you. Okay Gabby? You have to give him a chance."

Both Sharpay and Taylor's speeches had intrigued Gabriella. Why did Troy seem so different to her? Was she really judging him before actually knowing him? Her memories of the night before were probably unreliable, and her actions probably weren't the best. She did want to get to know the mysterious basketball star more, despite the feeling of fear and confusion he evoked in her.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry Shar, I'll try to see this the way you do," Gabriella scooped up the pile of tried-on clothes and laid them on a chair in front of Sharpay, picking the ones she liked. Sharpay had amazing taste; what had looked too showy or too sparkly hanging on the hangers actually fit Gabriella extremely well. "So," she smiled, slightly giddy about going on a date now after all, and trying to push down all her doubts about Troy Bolton. "What now?"

Taylor grinned. "Girl, this is Troy Bolton. We have to get you ready." Sharpay picked a few clothes out for herself, added a few more items to Gabriella and Taylor's piles, and then strutted off to the cashier, whipping out her black American Express card and skipping the line. Carrying their bags, she stepped out into the brightly lit mall and turned back to smile at her best friends.

"Gabriella Montez, welcome to my world."

"You know, she's really not so bad."

Troy was not happy. All he wanted was peace. He was already in an awful mood from having to work out with his massive hangover, and it was almost 3pm and Chad was_ still_ talking. About Gabriella Montez, no less.

"Yes, Chad, I know that Gabriella is a good, sweet person. Yes, I know that she graduated from Harvard top of the class. Yes, I know that she's super serious about her work. I know that you want me to get to know her better. I know_. I know_. What's your point?" Troy sighed, exasperated. His breath came in short puffs as they ran another lap around the gym.

Chad shook his bushy hair nervously. "Um, okay, well we're going on a double date tonight and Gabby's your date so yeah be good okay buddy see you at six don't be late!" Chad blurted out before picking up the speed and running ahead of Troy. Troy slowed down, dumbfounded. They'd set him up with that… _reporter_? Sure, it was Sunday, and she hadn't even started work yet, but he had a bad feeling about her. It wasn't actually her fault, and he knew that deep down, but he hated the way she'd judged him and read him like a freaking open book. He sighed. It couldn't be that bad though, right? And it was only a date… One date. That was all. Hell, it wasn't even a date. He didn't have much choice in it, did he? And she probably wasn't too excited either…

As Troy headed out of the showers and into the parking lot an hour later, his phone suddenly rang. Curious, he picked it up, as he knew most of his friends were busy at the moment. "Hello?"

"Troy, honey, it's me, Mom," he heard his mother's familiar voice through the receiver and he relaxed slightly, before noticing her voice was too high and quaking slightly.

"Mom, what's wrong? Is everything okay?" He ran a hand through slightly wet hair, getting into his car but holding his keys in his hands tightly.

"It's your father, sweetheart," he could hear the tears she was trying so hard to suppress in her voice. "He had a heart attack, and he's been hospitalized…"

Troy inhaled sharply, his knuckles turning white. "When? How? Why? How's he doing? Is he going to be okay? I'll be over there as soon as I can, just wait for me, okay Mom?"

"Oh honey, don't bother, we're at least an hour away, plus the traffic, he'll be fine. I'll call you later, okay?" His mother tried to reassure him, but Troy bit his lip, finally putting his key in the ignition and speeding out of the parking lot and into the rush-hour traffic.

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

Gabriella hadn't been on many dates. She acknowledged the fact. She was perfectly comfortable knowing that she hadn't been what was called a social butterfly in high school or college. She had her group of friends, yes, but she'd always put her studying and her work first. It was just the way she was programmed. Thanks to Taylor and Sharpay, however, she was dressed in a soft white shirt, pale leather jacket, her favorite dark skinny jeans, and a new pair of metallic flats. Not to mention the fact that she'd gotten a manicure, a facial, and her hair done. Gabriella had never thought of herself as gorgeous or skinny or extremely desirable to guys, but she had her standards, especially if it'd taken this long for her to get ready.

"I can't believe it," she fumed, pacing the front of the movie theater. "He's two hours late. He missed the entire fucking movie." She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs that fucking Troy Bolton had stood her up, but she bit it back, as they weren't technically on a date.

"Look, Gabriella, I'm sure he has a good reason," Chad feebly tried to reason with her. "Maybe… Maybe…" He looked at Sharpay for help, who just shrugged her shoulders, also at a loss for what to say.

Gabriella sighed, a strange resentment and disappointment nestling in her stomach. She narrowed her eyes. "Hey, guys, I'm really tired, and I have to get up really early for work tomorrow, I think I'm going to—"

"Well, Troy, glad you finally made it," Sharpay said tiredly, glancing behind Gabriella, who whipped around and stared as Troy walked out of the shadows of the parking lot. Gabriella mashed her lips into a tight line and looked down. Whatever excitement and second thoughts about reconsidering Troy Bolton were gone from her mind, and she felt a wave of exhaustion ripple through her. After a long day of walking around and spending more money than she could afford, she just wanted to go home and relax before her first day at work. Why did there always have to be so much drama?

"Sorry," Troy mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets and avoiding looking at the gorgeous brunette in front of him. "Come on, let's go get some ice cream."

Gabriella looked up, meeting his eyes for a second, and felt a hard poke in her back. Judging by the sharp pain, she guessed it was Sharpay's manicured fingernails digging into her and she sighed, silently following Troy to his understated black Audi.

They followed Chad's car in silence, neither of them up for starting a conversation. In the darkness, Gabriella focused on the spotless interior of the car, occasionally sneaking glances at her companion. She noticed he seemed weary and tired, and she wanted to ask him if everything was okay but then shrugged the feeling off. He was the one who stood her up. When they arrived at the ice cream parlor, Gabriella felt like her head was going to burst. She loved words. She lived for words. And she'd just spent what seemed like eternity sitting in silence with someone she was supposed to get to know. She felt like such a failure.

"Mint chocolate chip, please," she ordered her favorite ice cream, in need of comfort food tonight.

"Mango sorbet," she heard Troy say, and she jumped, slightly. "What?" he asked, eyeing her warily.

"So he does talk," Gabriella murmured. She couldn't help herself. She could see Troy roll his eyes, and she blew up at him.

"You don't call. You don't text. I'm not even talking about me. Chad! Sharpay! Anyone! Jesus Troy. Do you know how awkward it was for me, waiting for you at the theater? Do you know what it felt like for me to sit behind Chad and Sharpay and watch them fucking make out for two whole hours? Look, Troy. I never asked for this. All I wanted was to put whatever happened behind us and get to know you. But nooo," she dragged the word out, feeling a drip of minty ice cream slide onto her fingers," I guess I know the real Troy after all. They kept on drilling it into me; Troy is so great, Troy is so nice, Troy is so talented. Well you know what? I just don't see it." By the time she was finished, she was standing on her tiptoes, her face inches away from Troy's. Her ice cream felt sticky and uncomfortable in her hand, but she didn't dare move, staring straight into Troy's electric blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," Troy snarled, narrowing his eyes. "I'm sorry I stood you up for our imaginary date. I'm sorry for making you feel left out and insecure. I'm so sorry, Gabriella." Troy's blue eyes blazed with anger and pain.

Chad and Sharpay walked in right then, and saw two of their best friends face to face, both of their eyes blazing, golden brown and sapphire blue. Sharpay clutched Chad's arm, her eyes widening in shock.

"Umm, excuse me Mr. Bolton," a quiet voice said, handing over his mango sorbet. He didn't glance away from Gabriella, taking the ice cream quietly.

"Don't say it like that," Gabriella snarled. "I bet you can't say it like you mean it. Probably never have in your life, huh. Mr. Troy Bolton. Mr. Perfect. Mr. Jerk Asshole. Mr. I Can Stand Up Whoever I Want And Everyone Still LOVES me." Gabriella said, her eyes blurring.

Troy closed his eyes. He did not have the patience to deal with this right now. His heart was already broken from seeing his former basketball coach and best friend, his father, lying pain and weak in a lumpy hospital bed. His heart hurt from seeing his mother's face streaked with tears, and he was in physical pain just because he couldn't help his father. He did not have the patience to deal with this demanding reporter right now. His clenched his fists, and the mango sorbet, his favorite ice cream, crumpled and dropped onto the floor.

"I don't have time for this," he muttered, slamming the door to his car and driving away, his eyelashes wet with angry, frustrated tears and his hands sticky with cold orange slush.

Gabriella sighed, glaring at her own ice cream in sudden distaste. She glanced over at the shocked faces of Chad and Sharpay, and felt extremely remorseful. She wiped away the hurt tears in her eyes, and quietly walked out the door.

The next day, the first thing Troy Bolton saw was the newspaper headlines.

**THE MYSTERIOUSLY COOL BASKETBALL HOTSHOT LOSES TEMPER**

**TROY BOLTON CRUSHES ICE CREAM!**

"Fucking Gabriella Montez."

**A/N: Hey everyone! First of all, thanks for reading! I hope this chapter kind of cleared things up about Troy and Gabriella's past, and showed a bit more of Troy's nicer side. I know it's a lot of blowing up at each other, but don't worry, there's going to be much more drama in later chapters. I'm so excited : ) Again, thanks for reading, and for the reviews I've gotten so much. They really make my day. Please, please review! Feedback is much appreciated. I want to know what you guys think! **

**Lots of love,**

**Lexi**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own anything.

**CHAPTER FOUR**

LA was beautiful. There was no question about it in Gabriella's mind. The morning sun seemed brighter and warmer here, the air seemed fresher and sweeter, and the slight breeze felt like a gentle caress. Gabriella felt like laughing and joking with her taxi driver her the way to work, but at the same time she felt a nervous fluttering in her chest. It was her first day at work, at the_ LA Times_. This had been her dream since she decided to become a writer, to work for the LA Times, and then, hopefully, to go to New York for the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times. She was about to take her first step in her career, and she felt giddy and horrified at the thought. Suddenly, the cab stopped and she stepped out into the sunlight, paying and then waving at the driver. The smile faded off her face as she looked up at the beautiful, tall, modern yet classy building in front of her in awe. As she entered the office, she was the epitome of professionalism, and her chocolate eyes shown with admiration and determination.

"Miss Montez, it's so nice to finally meet you," a tall, muscled man with broad shoulders and straight features held out his hand as she stepped out of the elevator and onto her assigned floor. He had dark hair that was graying on the sides, but Gabriella could tell from his sharp green eyes that he was serious and quick-witted.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Lancaster," Gabriella smiled and shook his hand. The man laughed in surprise.

"Well done, Miss Montez. My name is Lawrence Lancaster, and I'm the head of the Entertainment section here at the LA Times. The Editor in Chief assigned told me specifically about you. Let's go to my office and I'll give you your first assignment here, and then your coworker Olivia will show you around and get you acquainted." Mr. Lancaster led Gabriella through a maze of neat desks, glowing iMacs, and sharply dressed people typing away on their computers, glancing up now and then to take note of her before quickly going back to their work.

"Have a seat, Miss Montez." He closed the glass door behind her and gestured to the leather seat facing his desk. She sat down quietly, crossing her ankles and folding her hands in her lap. "So you've adjusted to life here in LA?"

Gabriella smiled slightly. "I'm staying with a friend, and I love it here. Life here is so fast-paced, and the people are amazing."

Mr. Lancaster nodded. "Well, you'll be writing for the people and about the people here in the Entertainment section. May I ask who you're staying with?"

"A friend from college, Sharpay Evans." Gabriella replied, getting slightly impatient with all the small talk.

"Excellent," Mr. Lancaster beamed. "Well Miss Montez, we have a special assignment for you. I was told to take care of you, as you've come to us highly recommended and we were extremely impressed with your work in Boston. We've decided to take a chance and let you prove yourself by assigning you one of the hottest topics right now—" he paused, leaning forward in his leather thrown across from her. "Troy Bolton."

Gabriella inhaled sharply, masking her show her surprise and distaste. "Troy Bolton?" She asked, hesitantly.

"Yes, I'm sure you've heard of him, the famous basketball player. He has always been famous for his composure, but recently there was a piece about him losing his temper." He reached over to a long black table to his right and dropped the morning's paper on the desk. Gabriella's throat tightened as she quickly scanned the headlines and she felt a quick tremor of guilt pass through her. This did not go unnoticed by her boss. "Ah, I see you knew about this," he smiled, his eyes shining.

"Mr. Lancaster, I'm not sure… Isn't this story more suitable to more experienced journalists?" Gabriella fidgeted in her seat, trying to think of a way to get out of writing about Troy and the fight he'd had with her the night before.

"Don't worry, Miss Montez," Mr. Lancaster interpreted her uneasiness incorrectly. "Here at the Times, the first assignment you'll get is to cover a star, be it an actress, dancer, or athlete. It's part of our training program," he chuckled, while all the possible excuses running through Gabriella's mind were crushed. "I'm sure you'll be perfect for this, seeing as you know Sharpay Evans, one of Troy's best friends. You'll be fine."

Gabriella opened her mouth to protest, but shut it again. The competitive and determined journalist inside of her was getting the best of her. Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to challenge herself and force herself to do better? Wasn't this completely new territory, a chance to reinvent herself as a writer? "Yes, Mr. Lancaster."

"Excellent." He nodded at her, signaling that she could leave. She stood up slowly. "By the way, as all of these other newspapers have taken to criticizing our dear Troy Bolton, we're going to have a new approach-you're going to defend him." Mr. Lancaster concluded, before turning away from her.

Gabriella nodded and closed the door quietly behind her, her insides suddenly churning with confusion and anxiety. Defend Troy? Against the media? Against herself? What had she gotten herself into? Waiting outside the office was a tall, voluptuous redhead with caramel colored eyes and pale skin.

"Hi, Gabriella," she smiled, "I'm Olivia. I'm going to show you around and to your office space. If you have any questions, feel free to ask." Although her words sounded straight out of a recording, Olivia's eyes sparkled with kindness and her smile seemed genuine. Pushing her worries away, Gabriella prepared herself for her new task and her new life.

Earlier that morning, Troy had shown up at 6:30 at Sharpay's front door, a lifetime record, and about 15 minutes after Gabriella had left. His hair was disheveled, he was wearing a pair of sweatpants, the same gray t-shirt he'd had on the day before, sneakers without socks, but his eyes were frosty with anger. He banged on the oak door, inhaling deeply and trying to keep his temper in control. Damn that Montez girl, who was she to come here and mess with his life?

"Jesus, Troy, no need to tear down my house," Sharpay rolled her eyes as she opened the door for him. "You're an hour early, Chad's not even up yet."

"I'm not here for Chad," Troy rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I'm here for Montez."

"Oh, on last name bases are we?" Sharpay asked cynically, eyeing Troy suspiciously. "You just missed her, and I thought after last night's little scene you weren't really interested in her. At least, that's what I got from the fact that you stood her up. I know there's a reason, Troy. Why won't you tell me?"

Troy sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Here," he handed her the newspaper and silently watched her as she skimmed over the contents, her dark eyes widening in surprise and then narrowing.

"Impossible," Sharpay breathed quietly, before looking up at a helpless Troy and taking him by the hand. "Come on, Troy. Call in sick today, whatever. We need to talk."

"Already did," Troy followed her past twisting hallways and majestic chandeliers, into Sharpay's lounge, the place with the gang usually hung out. She pushed him into one of the soft couches and placed a steaming cup of tea in front of him before sitting across from him, never letting go of his hand.

"Are you okay, Troy? What's been going on?" Sharpay rubbed his knuckles comfortingly.

"It's my dad, Shar." Troy closed his eyes, imagining his father lying so weak in that bed. "I'm going to pick him up right after this, to take him to the best hospital in LA. He had a heart attack yesterday, and I got caught up driving over there. I should've called, or told you…"

"Oh my god," Sharpay gasped, putting a hand over her mouth. "Is he going to be alright? I'm so sorry, Troy. And it's okay. It was our fault anyways, trying to set you up with Gabriella." Sharpay sighed. "We just want you two to get along. You two are so similar in many ways. I just wanted you to see that."

Troy shrugged, his vision turning red. "Don't say that, Shar. She wrote that article."

"No, no, you don't know that. It could've been anyone. This is LA, Troy, and you're a star. It's expected." Troy tried to protest, but Sharpay cut him off. "Just because you've never done anything stupid before, doesn't mean it's going to be like that forever. It's okay, Troy. It's just one article. I'll talk to Gabriella, okay?"

Troy frowned, clearly unhappy, but then nodded. There was nothing else he could do… For now. All he wanted to do was run away from it all and scream at that judgmental reporter, for in his mind there was no question whether Gabriella had written the article.

Instead, he talked to Sharpay for another hour, which calmed him down, before saying goodbye and heading to his father's current hospital. The entire drive down, he worried about his father. He remembered all the times his father had been there for him, for basketball, for school, for girls, for when he'd made that horrible mistake junior year… He let his tears fall as he cruised down the highway. He hadn't cried in years, and just the thought of his strong father made his gut wrench in pain and fear. There was no way… was there? He clutched the steering wheel, pushing his foot down farther on the gas pedal. He had to get his father the best treatment, fast. His vision blurred, his heart raced, and he felt like he couldn't get enough air. When he arrived at the hospital, he didn't pause before stumbling out of the car and sprinting to his father's hospital room, yelling at the doctors and nurses to get him ready to transfer to a better, central LA hospital. He knocked quickly before bursting in, only to see his father even paler and weaker than before, his forehead damp with sweat. He saw his mother, his sweet, caring mother, sitting on the same chair and in the same clothes as the day before, gently caressing his father's knuckles. Troy wanted to let go and lose himself in pain at the sight of his once so young and so strong parents, and at the unfairness in this world. Instead, his knees buckled slightly, and he tried to stop his hand from shaking as he grasped his father's empty hand, leaning in to murmur comforting words to his mother. Outside, he was strong, composed, serene, and confident. Inside, it was a whole different story.

Troy Bolton was breaking, physically, and emotionally.

Gabriella was in an immensely good mood as she came home from work that evening, She had made friends with almost everyone in her department almost immediately, especially with beautiful and kind Olivia and funny and sarcastic Gordon. The office already felt like her home, where she had her own small desk, her own big iMac, where the air smelled of coffee and fresh ink. Gabriella was in love.

However, her assigned topic was more of a problem, though she'd learned to look at it in an objective way. She read all the articles concerning his little anger fit, made notes about each different perspective, before launching into her own article until her fingers hurt. Now back at Sharpay's, with the ruby red rays of the setting sun splashing against the living room walls and her stomach full of the dinner she'd shared with Sharpay and Chad, she opened her laptop and the big, empty binder Olivia had given her.

"TROY BOLTON", she printed neatly across the front. She then searched Wikipedia and started to make notes about his past. That was the only way she could really know him, right?

Suddenly, she heard the distinct sound of glass breaking into a million pieces. She turned her head, trying to figure out which room the sound came from. Still unfamiliar with Sharpay's mansion, she struggled until she heard the sound of two familiar voices.

"HOW COULD YOU?" it was Sharpay, Gabriella was sure.

"Shar, listen…" Chad's voice was quieter, unsteady.

"IT WASN'T EVEN YOU WHO TOLD ME. TAYLOR! TAYLOR, CHAD, TAYLOR. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?" Sharpay's voice was thick with tears, and Gabriella's heart clenched. She felt like a young child listening to her parents fight.

"SHAR. It wasn't, it wasn't… You don't understand…" Chad's voice was quaking, and Gabriella felt like she was intruding. She focused on the page in front of her, scribbling down notes about Troy's childhood in Santa Fe.

"YOU MANWHORE. GET OUT OF HERE."

"SHAR, THIS IS MY HOME TOO."

"YOU DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE HERE! YOU HORRIBLE, DISGUSTIN EXCUSE OF A MAN. GET OUT. GET OUT. GET OUT!"

"SHARPAY, LISTEN TO ME. SHE… SHE… SHE DRUGGED ME. I WASN'T THINKING STRAIGHT."

"FUCK NO, YOU WEREN'T THINKING STRAIGHT. YOU FUCKING WHORE!"

"SHAR… PLEASE…"

"YOU DISGUST ME MORE THAN A HOMELESS MAN WEARING A TOO SMALL PRADA MINI. HOW COULD YOU? CHAD DANFORTH. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE. NOW." Sharpay sobbed, her voice laced with anger. Gabriella could hear Chad's protests, but soon after she saw a stricken Chad come down the stairs.

"Chad… what's going on?" Gabriella whispered, her eyes wide at Chad's heartbroken expression.

"I'm going to go to Troy's… I'll explain later, Gabs." Chad sighed quietly, putting on his jacket. "Bye."

As the door clicked shut, Gabriella sighed, quickly pouring a cup of tea before closing her computer and running up to Sharpay's room. "Shar, honey, what's wrong?" Gabriella asked, staring in shock as Sharpay sat on the edge of her bed, mascara and eyeliner running down her cheeks.

Sharpay sniffed, falling back onto the bed. "He cheated on me with one of the cheerleaders," Sharpay's voice was drowned by her tears, and Gabriella wrapped her arms around her friend. "I've been worried about this for a while, Gabs. I just didn't think…" Sharpay trailed off, her shoulder heaving as she gasped for breath.

"Oh Shar, I'm so sorry." Gabriella wrapped her arms around her friend tighter, running her hands down Sharpay's thin arms. It was only then that Gabriella noticed how sickly thin Sharpay seemed, and how the bags under her eyes had suddenly appeared. Gabriella felt guilty for being so self-centered and inflicting so much drama on her friends. She sighed, hugging Sharpay close.

A few hours later, after a few pints of ice cream and a good long talk, Gabriella left Sharpay asleep in her room and threw on a pair of flip flops and a jacket before getting directions from Sharpay's driver and heading over to Troy's house. Nervous and uncomfortable, she felt like a stalker after spending all day thinking and writing about Troy, before finally showing up unannounced at his doorstep. She didn't even pause to notice his penthouse apartment.

"Montez," Troy greeted her coldly after opening the door. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Look, I'm just here to see Chad…" Gabriella didn't feel like picking a fight with Troy, her thoughts still centered on Sharpay.

"He's not here." Troy stated, about to shut the door in her face. Gabriella sighed, and then suddenly an idea hit her.

"Troy… can we talk? If you're not too busy," she added hurriedly. "I have a few questions for you," she looked up at him, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and the way his frosty eyes seemed cold yet sad. Troy glanced at her quickly in surprise, before hesitating. Gabriella sensed his reluctance, and nodded understandingly, although filled with disappointment and embarrassment. She bit her lip, preparing to turn away and go back to her Wikipedia research.

"Okay," Troy heard himself agreeing. He sighed inwardly. What in the world was he getting himself into? What did she want? To apologize for being a presumptuous bitch? To talk about her article? He turned around and walked into his apartment without looking back. Gabriella stared at him in surprise, before making the final decision to follow him, praying it'd be worth it.

Troy stopped at the kitchen, pulling out a stool for the petite brunette to sit on as he walked to the middle of the kitchen across from the marble island and opened the fridge. Gabriella quietly took a seat, eyeing everything cautiously as if she were in an enemy camp's territory. She closed her eyes. There was no turning back.

"So…"

Suddenly, Gabriella's phone buzzed, and she looked down to see a two new messages.

MATT: Hey Gabriella! It's me, Matt. Couldn't stop thinking about you all weekend. Dinner this Friday? ; )

LEON (SHARPAY'S DRIVER): Miss Gabriella… Miss Sharpay is gone.

**A/N: Slight cliffy! This chapter kind of has a lot of stuff and yet still doesn't really clear anything up for you guys… Sorry about that. But don't worry, the next chapter is pretty intense. So… what do you think Gabriella wants to talk to Troy about? What do you think about Gabriella's new assignment? What are your opinions about their attitudes towards each other? What do you think Gabriella will do, talk to Troy or go find Shar or answer Matt? **

**Reviews, comments, constructive criticism, please. I couldn't have written this much without the help of my besties Elaine and Sue and their amazing opinion. The next chapter will be up by Thursday, and thank you for reading! Special thanks to ****pumpkinking5**** for your awesome reviews. They mean the world to me! **

**Remember, as my good friend Sue says… Reviews equal love!**

**Lots of love,**

**Lexi**


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Troy looked up as he leaned against the refrigerator door, two bottles of water in his hands in slight confusion at the sudden silence. He noticed the way her dark curls hung just below her bare collarbone, the way her loose white tank top stood out against her tan skin, the way her thick lashes framed her warm, chocolate as she looked down at her phone… Troy pushed the thoughts away, his eyes hardening as he reminded himself that the girl sitting in front of him had judged him and written an article about him in the newspaper. He was tired, angry, and sad, and seemed to have no energy to do more than Suddenly, Gabriella looked up, meeting his eyes. They stared at each other for a long second, before Gabriella coughed awkwardly.

"Um, sorry about that," she said, her pinks turning light pink. "Sharpay just texted me… Apparently she's gone to someone's house for the night." Gabriella sighed, running a hand through her hair. Troy nodded silently, sliding a bottle of water over to her. He still didn't understand why she'd asked to come in, for she was only sitting there, twisting the bottle of water in her hands, obviously uncomfortable. Looking at her long, slender fingers, he remembered the way the veins in his father's hand had stood out, the way he had feebly held Troy's hand, so different from the strong basketball coach he used to know. He felt a wave of exhaustion engulf him, and his head started spinning.

"Anyways, so Troy, at work today…" Gabriella took a deep breath and started to explain to Troy why she was there. Troy could see her lips moving and heard her quiet, steady voice, but he couldn't understand what she was saying. His head hurt, there was a roaring sound in his ears, and he was suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion and cold. Images of his sick father, his weak mother, the blaring title of the article, Chad's sad and regretful expression when he'd walked in earlier, Sharpay's thin, warm hand enclosing his as she'd listened to his story, Gabriella's smiling and happy face as she'd flirted with that bartender while he'd watched from afar flashed in his mind, and his head spun dizzyingly. He leaned back against the cool refrigerator as Gabriella stopped talking. He hadn't heard a word she'd said.

"So that's why I need to ask you some questions," she finished, taking her eyes off the bottle of water he'd given her and looking at him. That's when she realized how pale he looked, with deep circles under his closed eyes. "Troy… Are you okay? Do you want to lie down or something?" she asked hesitantly.

Troy opened his eyes and looked at her, and she immediately knew something was wrong. The blank, emotionless look in his eyes was gone, instead replaced with hurt and confusion. He looked like he was waking up from a nightmare. Gabriella stood up in alarm, jumping off her stool. "Troy?"

"Yeah, I think I should lie down," Troy murmured weakly. He gestured for her to follow him, and he staggered into the nearby living room and sank into the sofa, closing his eyes. Gabriella hovered near him for a second, not knowing what to do. It wasn't like they were friends… She used to hate him for the short period that she'd known him, and she was pretty sure the feeling was mutual. She shouldered her bag, about to make her excuses and leave, when he opened one eye and squinted at her.

"You should stay," Troy said, sitting up a little. "You came here for a reason. What did you want to ask me?"

Gabriella hesitated, before dropping her bag and kneeling next to him, surprising Troy as she leaned in, smoothing back his hair and gently feeling his burning forehead. Her hand felt soft and cool, and Troy recoiled in shock, but Gabriella misinterpreted it and her hand shot back. She stood up, taking a seat in the chair across from him, biting her lip nervously.

"Well, I think you have a fever," Gabriella said slowly, torn between taking this opportunity to do real research for work and being a normal person and letting him get his obviously much-needed rest. "Maybe you should rest and we can talk later—Do you have medicine or something?"

Troy rolled his eyes with slight difficulty. "I'll be fine, Gabriella, there's no need to be my mom." Troy closed his eyes again, settling deeper into the couch cushions.

Gabriella was quiet for a moment, before her journalist side took over. "What is your mom like?"

Troy sighed quietly, remembering the way his mom had held onto his hand tightly as they'd listened to the doctor at the hospital earlier that day. "She's beautiful," he replied. "She's the nicest person in the world. She knows just when you're hungry or tired or angry or sad. It's like she can read your mind," he smiled faintly. "She's selfless, can always see the good in people, and she makes the best food ever. Ever."

Gabriella smiled, watching the way Troy's face relaxed as he talked about his mother with obvious adoration. Who knew Troy Bolton loved his mother so much. "She sounds amazing. What about your dad?"

Troy flinched as an image of his dad struggling to sit up in bed flashed in his mind. "He was the basketball coach at my high school, and he's always pushed me to do my best, in basketball, in life, whatever. He put a basketball in my hands when I was less than a year old. He's the kind of person that everyone wants as their friend—outgoing, funny, and respected. He taught me to love basketball, and he's always been here for me. Always." Troy whispered, trying not to think about the fact that his dad might not be there anymore soon. He went on to tell her more about his childhood in Santa Fe, filled with weekend basketball practices and the best sandwiches in the world. He took her back to a time when things were less complicated, when you didn't have to try to read people to get to know them, where all you cared about was the next episode of your favorite TV show and whether the weather would be good enough to go to the park and play with your dog the next day. Half asleep, his voice soft and dreamlike, he painted a world so different from Gabriella's own, where grades and studying came second to athletics and sunny skies and sweet ice cream on a warm day.

Gabriella hung onto his every word, committing everything to memory. The way his half-closed eyes were soft and gentle, unlike the hard ice she was used to. The way his lips curled up in an unconscious half smile, instead of the hard-pressed line she always saw. "You had a pretty happy childhood, didn't you? Popular basketball captain, king of the school, with girls falling for you all over the place," Gabriella said, not in an unkind way.

Hearing this, Troy laughed, even with his head pounding. He opened his cobalt blue eyes to stare at her, smiling. "Is that what you think?"

"Yes, of course," Gabriella replied in bewilderment.

"Well, Miss Montez, you've read me wrong," Troy leaned back into the pillows, a hint of a smile on his face. "I was a wallflower in high school, if that…"

Gabriella waited in disbelief for him to explain, to go on, but it was apparent that his little bout of amusement had sapped the rest of his energy out and his voice faded away.

"I guess that's a story for next time," Gabriella murmured, watching Troy's eyelids flutter shut, his blonde hair damp and his forehead shiny with sweat. She felt a pang of sympathy, and suddenly he wasn't just someone she was interrogating for work, a bug under a microscope, he wasn't just the cocky, cold jerk that had stood her up. He was something more, in the way that his sculpted chest rose steadily up and down, the way his face muscles relaxed and she could see his perfect features without a hard, icy mask. She forgot why she was angry with him, why she'd felt such distaste for him only a few days earlier. She scooted closer to him, putting her hand to his hot forehead again, her eyebrows knitting together in worry.

"You want to hear a story?" she heard Troy whisper faintly. "Try Junior year. I bet you'd get a crack out of writing that. Or maybe the shit that is my life now." Troy's voice was so quiet she strained to hear him. Junior year? What happened then? How did he know she was going to write about him? Instantly, her curiosity was aflame, and she was wrenched with a pang of guilt, but the way he looked so pale and weak lying on the couch beside her made her quench her feelings. She got up, and suddenly felt a surprisingly firm grip on her wrist.

"Don't leave," he mouthed, probably delusional and not aware of his own actions. Gabriella jumped slightly in shock and sat back down. She smoothed his hair back, before grabbing a blanket of the back of another couch and gently covering him with it. Troy opened his eyes for a split second before falling into the black unconsciousness that was threatening to engulf him, and the last thing he saw was the blurry form of an angel with dark curls and deep, kind, warm eyes, like hot chocolate on a cold, snowy day after an intense snowball fight, before his own body was wrapped in warmth and he faded away into a land without pain.

Gabriella sat beside Troy in silence. Her laptop and binder, work essentials that she carried on her at all times, were in her lap, but she hadn't written anything yet. She was staring at her carefully typed out research page on Troy from earlier that day, and the longer she looked at it the more it seemed like something written by a mindless robot. She ran over what he'd told her in half-conscious whispers, and with a slight pull of guilt but the unstoppable force of her journalistic ambition she began writing everything down, her fingers dancing across the keyboard in the quietest way possible so as not to disturb the sleeping man beside her. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail, she crossed her legs on the chair and was completely immersed in her work. From time to time she'd glance at him as she pulled her essay together bit by bit, reminding her of why she was defending him. He looked so peaceful, so innocent and sweet, even though he would sigh in pain at times. She worked until she was finally extremely satisfied with her article, and with a flutter of nervousness she sent it to Mr. Lancaster, copying Gordon, who was her supervisor and fast friend.

"Send," she murmured, pressing the button. With one last glance at Troy, she leaned back, capped her pen, looked at her final copy of her defending article and the pages she'd filled with notes about Troy's past in her binder, and the questions that were already circling in her mind. There was no question about it: the more she learned about Troy, the more he was a mystery to her, and she found herself wanting more, craving more. She closed her eyes, and lost herself in her thoughts, fading into the realm of dreams.

Chad opened the door to Troy's apartment, his heart heavy with guilt and anger. How could he have let himself do something like that to Sharpay? The entire night he'd been caught up in guilt, going over to Taylor's to rant after Troy had proved to be preoccupied and distracted himself. The sun streamed in through the windows, lighting up Troy's simple and modern apartment. Chad relished the familiar kitchen on the right, the picture-lined corridor on the left, leading off to the bedrooms, and the large living room with a spectacular view of LA… and two familiar figures sleeping on the couches. Chad nearly yelped in surprise, seeing Gabriella curled up in an armchair with no makeup on and a laptop and binder open in her lap, as if she'd decided to take a nap between working her ass of, like she usually did. Troy, however, was a sickly shade of white and his hair was matted down with sweat. They were here… together? Chad was disoriented and grief-stricken, but at the same time he knew that was a good thing, and he was glad they'd become friends. All through college he'd thought about introducing Troy to Gabriella, as they were similar in so many ways, but he'd never had the chance to. Chad smiled slightly, before resuming his depressed and exhausted expression. He went over to his two sleeping friends, shaking Gabriella gently on the shoulder.

"Gabs?" he whispered as she looked up at him with big, sleepy eyes. As soon as she recognized him, she jumped up and staggered slightly, sending a pile of papers and pens crashing to the floor.

"Shit," she murmured, glancing at Troy, who only shifted slightly in his sleep. Gabriella breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his forehead and frowning, before turning her attention back to Chad. Chad gestured at her to follow him down the corridor and into his old room/Troy's new guest room. Chad sank into the simple grey bed and Gabriella closed the door behind her, turning to look at him in accusation and sympathy at the same time.

"Chad…" she said reproachfully, taking a seat beside him on the bed and crossing her legs so she was facing him, "If what Sharpay told me was true, I'm going to be pretty disappointed."

Chad sighed, looking at his hands and avoiding the eyes of the brunette in front of him. "Things with Shar… they're complicated. We were going great for a long while, and I love her. I really do. She's beautiful and talented and capable and smart."

"But…" Gabriella looked at him with sad eyes, reading his expression and already guessing what he was going to say next.

"But," Chad continued, "About a week before you arrived, I saw her at the bus stop with some guy. First of all, Sharpay Evans never goes to the bus stop, so of course I was worried. It was like… It was like seeing a chicken eating pork chops while playing basketball!" Chad exclaimed. "Anyways, I was suspicious. I saw her hug him and look at him all lovey-dovey, and I freaked out. He was tall, taller than me, built like a football player, with honey blonde hair and green eyes—"

Gabriella slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh, Chad," she sighed.

Chad nodded. "Exactly. The point is, I went to our game after that and was totally distracted, plus Sharpay didn't show up at the game. After, the team decided to celebrate our victory and get drunk, and I was like to hell with it. I was, after all, depressed about Shar. So I went to the club, got drunk, and had mad crazy drunken sex with this cheerleader, Stacey. This whole week, I've seen Sharpay texting someone almost 24/7, and she's always on the phone, she's been acting really secretive, and I was sure she was cheating on me with that football dude. So I kept on having sex with Stacey…" Chad trailed off, burying his face in his hands.

"And Sharpay found out yesterday, from Taylor, who walked in on you guys getting it on behind the bleachers after practice. Oh Chad. Don't you know that the tall blonde guy is Sharpay and Ryan's cousin Frank?"

"I do now," Chad sighed. "I wish Sharpay would see this as a miscommunication, not a 'betrayal of trust and thus destroying the foundation of our relationship, making it impossible to rebuild, like the windmill in Animal Farm,'" Chad looked at Gabriella sadly.

Gabriella froze as she heard Chad's words. "Is that exactly what Sharpay said?"

"Yeah," Chad answered, lying down on the bed. "Verbatim."

Shit, Gabriella thought, her mind racing at the speed of light. Those were not Sharpay's words.

They were Taylor's.

Troy awoke to the bright sun burning his face. He still felt impossibly cold, although his forehead was damp with sweat and he had a blanket around him. _Gabriella,_ he suddenly remembered. The events of the night before were hazy, and he could barely remember anything after his intense headache. However, he distinctly remembered seeing an angel, and the sound of steady drumming the entire night. As he sat up and looked around him, he saw an unfamiliar black MacBook and a black binder sitting on the coffee table, with a mess of pens and paper on the floor. Confused, he walked over to the mess and started clearing everything up, his head still pounding. He scrutinized the unfamiliar handwriting, surprisingly neat and professional, and suddenly realized what he was reading. It was a full-detail account of some of his closest and happiest memories. What the hell? He quickly swiped a finger across the pad on the laptop and it whirred to life. The page opened was a confirmation of a sent email… with the subject of "Article 1-TB".

Troy sighed. This was too much to process, and with his headache, he was not in the mood. Suddenly, he heard the sound of whispers coming from Chad's old room and went to investigate.

"Hello?" he knocked on the door before entering and seeing Gabriella and Chad in deep conversation, Gabriella's face calm but her eyes radiating confusion. Chad seemed oblivious, glancing up at Troy.

"Dude, you okay?" Chad asked, carefully looking at his best friend.

"I'm fine," Troy answered, looking only at Gabriella and trying to remember what had happened last night. He couldn't, and sighed. "Montez, can I talk to you for a second?"

Gabriella stood up and followed him out of the room, thankful that Chad was too preoccupied to notice. "Troy, are you feeling better? Maybe you should drink water or something?" Gabriella reached out and brushed his hair back, feeling his temperature, the same way she'd done multiple times before. Now awake and fully conscious, Troy flinched at her touch, and Gabriella pulled her hand back, shocked and hurt.

"Um, is that your stuff?" Troy asked hesitantly, pointing at the living room, slowly starting to piece things together. She'd stayed over here, at his house… The annoying judgmental reporter?

Gabriella flushed, hoping that he hadn't read anything. "Yeah, uh, sorry about that, I'll go clean it up."

"No, it's okay," Troy shook his head. She had stayed at his home. Had she drugged him or something? How did she know all about his childhood? Had he told her? He hadn't talked about stuff like that in so long… He rubbed his forehead. All these thoughts were not helping him. "Look, Gabriella. I have a question."

Gabriella nodded cautiously. "Okay."

"Did you write that article about me? The one about the ice cream and me losing my temper on the newspaper yesterday?" Troy gazed at her with surprising intensity, considering the fact that he was sick and his father was hospitalized and his friends were a mess.

"Of course not, Troy," Gabriella looked offended. Troy looked at her long and hard, the way her curly hair was sticking up in all different directions, the way she had no makeup on but looked like a million dollars, the way her white tank top and dark jeans were wrinkled, the way her warm eyes were clear and honest. He nodded, believing her.

"Okay, thank you." Troy answered. However, Gabriella knew something was wrong. This was nothing like the Troy she'd gotten to know last night, the one who talked fondly of his parents and spoke freely with sparkling eyes even in the haze of sickness. This Troy was cold again, hard as ice, and she felt her heart drop with disappointment. Suddenly, she realized he really had been delusional and didn't remember anything about last night.

"One more question, Gabriella… Why did you stay over? I mean, it's not like we're friends…"

**A/N: Hello there! Thank you for reading, of course. What did you think of this chapter? I really enjoyed writing more Troyella than usual. So now Troy knows that Gabriella didn't write the article, but things are still pretty complicated between them. And with this thing with Sharpay and Chad… What do you think will happen? What the hell is Gabriella talking about with the mention of Taylor? By the way, what pairings do you like? Because I know how my story is going to turn out… but I'd love to hear about your opinions. And I know that I didn't mention Matt and his date offer for Gabs in this chapter, but don't worry, it'll all come in time. **

**And what in the world is this thing going on with the junior year crap that Troy and Gabriella are both mentioning? If you didn't notice, go back and look. It's like Where's Waldo… Hint, hint… Lots of drama. Be prepared. **

**Bye the way, I'm going out for the weekend so I might not update. I'll try to finish CHAPTER SIX by tomorrow and post it for you guys so you don't have to wait too long. The more feedback I get the easier it'll be for me to write… and the faster I'll update. But anyways thanks for the reviews I love you all! So please, read and review!**

**Lots of love,**

**Lexi**


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

**CHAPTER SIX**

Troy watched a light flush spread over Gabriella's cheeks. She looked down, her long lashes covering her warm brown eyes, preventing him from reading her. She seemed to be deep in thought for the second that it took for her to respond, and when she looked up, Troy was taken aback by the harsh disappointment in her dark eyes.

"I guess…" she paused, her eyes never leaving Troy's, " it just felt right."

Troy stared at her in shock and confusion as she quickly turned on her heels, stuffed her things into her bag and quietly walked out the door. Troy leaned against the counter, his head in his hands, and sighed.

As Gabriella hurried to work, she dialed Taylor's number on her cell phone, clutching it to her ear.

"Pick up, pick up," she muttered, frustrated. When she finally did hear Taylor's sleepy hello, Gabriella picked up her pace, people and buildings blurring by as she almost ran the few blocks to her office. "Taylor McKessie. I believe you have some explaining to do."

Taylor sighed, sure that Gabriella had seen through her already. She rolled over in her king sized bed, and spied Chad's boxers lying on the floor of her room. "What do you know?"

"I know that Chad spent the night at your place last night, Tay," Gabriella shot back at her. "I know that you told Sharpay a bunch of shit about what happened with Chad. I know that you convinced her not to take him back. And most of all, I know that it's been years, Taylor. Years."

Taylor closed her eyes. "I know, Gabriella. I know."

"How can you still like him after all this time? I thought you swore to me that you were over him. Junior year. Of HIGH SCHOOL." Gabriella fumed, angry at Taylor for being so selfish, angry at Sharpay for being so naïve, angry at Chad for being so gullible, and angry at the world for making her friends' hearts break.

"I feel so horrible," Taylor whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "Sharpay is my friend, too. I just…"

Gabriella sighed, stepping into her building and glancing at her watch. She had approximately 10 minutes to fix her hair, her makeup, and prepare herself for her second day of work. "It's just, you love him." Gabriella finished. She fixed her makeup in the restroom downstairs, leaning in close and remembering all the times she'd done this with Sharpay and Taylor in high school and college. Her anger melted away, and she was left feeling sad and helpless.

"Yeah," Taylor replied quietly, thinking of the way Chad laughed, the way he smiled, the way he cared and loved everyone with all his heart, except for her. "I love him."

Nine minutes later, Gabriella had hung up the phone, and she looked appropriate for work, her hair in a high ponytail and her makeup simply done. As soon as she stepped into her office and out of the elevator she was swarmed by a group of people, at the front of which stood Olivia and Gordon.

"COME ON, GABRIELLA! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE OR ELSE YOUR TALENTED MIND WILL BE CRUSHED BY THIS CRAZY MOB OF FOOLS!" Gordon yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards her little cubicle. Gabriella was stunned, her eyes wide as she was yanked away from the crowd of people.

"Gabriella, your essay was amazing!" Olivia laughed, hugging Gabriella tightly.

"Thank you!" Gabriella grinned as Olivia pushed her down into her chair. "Um, guys, what is with the crowd?"

"Crazy fools have finally seen the light." Gordon muttered. "MOVE IT PEOPLE, YOU'LL HAVE TIME TO EXAMINE HER UNDER A MICROSCOPE LATER, YOU CAN'T DO THAT IF SHE SUFFOCATES!"

"What?" Gabriella giggled, smiling at her supervisor. He was tall and gangly, with a shock of messy brown hair and a perpetual sarcastic half-smile on his lips.

"Oh, don't mind him," Olivia rolled her eyes, shoving her coworker as the crowd dissipated. "You'll get used to his weird way of talking. He just means your essay is amazing and everyone wants your advice."

Gabriella blushed. "Oh, it's not that good," she said modestly, playing with the hem of her shirt and biting her lip.

"Darling, your article was amazing." She heard a new voice say, and she turned around to see Mr. Lancaster standing behind them, smiling at Gabriella. Gabriella immediately stood up. "Miss Montez, your article was indeed so amazing that from now on, not only are you going to cover Mr. Bolton, you're going to be in charge of every article about him, in defense, of course. Well done, Miss Montez. I expect a lot from you." He nodded at them, before turning quickly on his heels and disappearing.

"'In charge'," Gordon rolled his eyes, "As in you're supposed to write every article about Troy and if anything goes on, you will be personally responsible."

"Oh," Gabriella said nervously. "Every article? You mean that wasn't just a one time thing?"

"Are you kidding me?" Olivia shook her head vigorously. "Gabriella, you were unbelievable with this article. Honestly. And sweetheart, I'm sure you'll be amazing writing anything, but don't you see? You'll cover Troy Bolton, you'll become a famous writer, get promoted, and all your dreams will come true." Olivia sighed happily. "Darling, this is a good thing."

Gordon nodded, smirking. "Soon we'll be calling you Miss Gabriella and making jokes behind your back about what a horrible boss you are."

Gabriella laughed, before a newspaper fell on her desk. "Lawrence wants you to cover this new article about Bolton." Gabriella looked up at Lauren, the only unfriendly person on their floor, her blonde hair swinging as she stomped away, obnoxiously blowing a bright pink bubble with her gum. She was the only one who called Mr. Lancaster Lawrence, and she was the only one who wasn't serious about her work, and from the obvious way her boobs were spilling out of her low cut shirt she'd slept her way to the office.

"She's just jealous, don't mind her," Gordon said, glancing at the article. "Oh look here, apparently Mr. Bolton here is getting a little emotional." Gabriella looked down as well, and her eyes widened in surprise. On the front page was a blurry but recognizable picture of Troy, his eyes red and his cheeks tear stained, his knuckles white as he clutched the steering wheel. Gabriella's heart dropped at the sight of him, so weak and tired, and she closed her eyes, thinking of Troy's inevitable reaction at the article. No wonder he'd gotten sick last night. Why was he so sad? What in the world could've happened to him? This must be what he'd been talking about last night, about his world being screwed up. Again, her curiosity was ignited, and she yearned to see him again and find out more about the mystery that was Troy Bolton.

"Shit," she muttered, pulling herself closer to her Mac. "I'd better get to work."

Troy couldn't focus. He felt blind and deaf, as if his senses were completely numb to the outside world. He couldn't see anything except the way his father had looked so fragile, and he couldn't hear anything except the horrifying words of the doctor. He couldn't see the bright orange basketball that was constantly being passed to him, he couldn't hear the angry and confused yells of his teammates and friends as he dropped the ball or weakly passed it to someone else, anyone else. Troy was tired, his head hurt, his heart throbbed, and all he wanted to do was go to his worsening father's side, but instead he was stuck at basketball practice, something he once treasured. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Coach Anderson," he jogged up to his frowning coach, his face blank and hard. "I'm having some personal problems, can I take a break?"

Coach Anderson sighed. He'd seen a lot of excellent players, and it pained him to see his star player so torn up and distant. "Alright Bolton. Come back to us when you're ready."

Troy nodded, his mind already far away with his father. "Thanks, Coach."

Coach Anderson gave a gruff nod. "Don't wait too long, Bolton."

Troy bounded out of the room, straight into his car and sped to the hospital, never looking back. He was silent and still the entire way, hiding his emotions inside. What if his father had gotten much worse? What he didn't have two months to live left, like the doctor had said, but only a week? What if he was never able to go home again?

Troy eased his Audi into a parking space and stepped out, before immediately getting mobbed by reporters. Furious, he tried to find a way through them, but the bright flashing lights of the cameras and their incessant yelling was confusing him and making him even more frustrated. He hadn't come this far to get bombed and stopped by a bunch of damn reporters!

"TROY, WHO ARE YOU VISITING?"

"IS IT YOUR SECRETLY PREGNANT GIRLFRIEND?"

"ARE YOU SICK, TROY?"

"WHY AREN'T YOU AT THE LAKERS BASKETBALL PRACTICE, TROY?"

Troy wanted to scream in frustration, when suddenly, he felt a familiar hand grab his wrist and yank him past blinding cameras and screaming paps. He couldn't see the person that was leading him through the maze of people, but he caught a glimpse of dark curls and he kept his eyes on the tan skin of the hand that was gripping his firmly. As they rushed through the hospital doors, he was yanked to the left and stood there, panting with exertion, in a partially hidden hallway.

"Thank you," he looked up at Gabriella, who was studying him intently. He straightened up, and glanced around the corner, making sure that the paparazzi were still outside and not inside.

"No problem," Gabriella replied quietly, feeling slightly guilty as well. After all, she had been there to interview and talk to him herself… The silence isn't awkward at all, she thought to herself. She decided she liked Troy better when he was half unconscious. At least she was capable of talking to him then, instead of standing here like an idiot.

"I should get going." Troy looked around the corner again, itching to get to his father. "Thanks again, Gabriella." Gabriella nodded, and started to walk back towards the exit of the hospital. Suddenly, Troy saw his mother running towards him, and he panicked, a million worst-case scenarios running through his mind. He rushed towards her, and she caught him in a tight embrace.

"Is everything okay, Mom?" He asked, slightly comforted by the smell of her familiar perfume.

"He hasn't gotten any better," Lucille Bolton said. She was wearing a fresh change of clothes, and she looked much better and put together, if only for her husband and son's sake. "He wants ice-cream, and his doctor suggested running to the supermarket to get some low-fat frozen yogurt. I was just about to go-" Troy looked at his mother, appalled, thinking of the crazy mob outside.

"No, it's okay, I'll go." Troy kissed him mom quickly on the cheek. "Do you want anything?"

"No, honey, I'm fine. Hurry back!" Lucille smiled at her son, her eyes trailing after him as he ran towards the door, and caught a petite brunette by the exits. As the brunette turned, Lucille got a full view of her profile, and she inhaled sharply, her eyes widening in horror and surprise…

As Troy ran towards someone whom Gabriella assumed was his mother, Gabriella's phone started vibrating in her bag. "Hello?"

"Hey, Gabriella, it's Matt, the bartender from Sharpay's party?"

"Oh, hey Matt, what's up?" Gabriella smiled. Five minutes later, she had a date for that Saturday, and just as she was about to walk out the door she heard someone calling her name.

"Gabriella, are you free right now?" Troy asked her, pushing the door open for her. "Jesus, what's with the smile? You that happy to see me?" He joked.

Gabriella laughed. "You wish, Mr. Bolton," she looked at him, and for a second they were quiet, both of them kind of surprised. "But yes, I am free."

"Nice. Let's go shopping." He smiled, and grabbed her hand as they braced the paparazzi and ran to his car. Gabriella tried not to think of the last time she'd been in his spotless Audi, but as soon as she stepped into it she felt like it was a completely different car. Before it had been clean and neat, that new-car smell still lingering, and now there were things thrown everywhere, clothes, basketballs, notebooks… Notebooks? Gabriella thought, making a mental note.

Thirty minutes later, they were searching the aisles of the nearest Whole Foods, and Troy was juggling three boxes of frozen yogurt in his hands, laughing.

"Well, well, who knew that Troy Bolton is such a kid at heart," Gabriella smiled, pushing a cart full of heart-healthy goodies. Troy grinned at her, skillfully tossing the yogurt into the cart.

"He shoots, he scores!" Troy bowed, looking up at a laughing Gabriella. They'd become fast friends, overcoming the initial awkwardness, with, of course, jokes.

"_So, Montez. You're a writer, a nosy reporter, and you work for the Times. You must have a good sense of humor," Troy glanced at her quickly. Gabriella raised her eyebrows. _

"_What does that mean?" she asked him, confused. _

"_You know, you have to keep the people interested. Think of hooks, and all that. Doesn't that make you interesting?" Troy asked. _

"_Well… not really," Gabriella replied, shrugging. "I'm pretty boring compared to a certain basketball player that I've heard of." _

"_Really?" Troy said, his face still blank. "And what do you know about this basketball player?"_

"_I have this good friend named Chad, and he's always telling me about how lame this basketball star's jokes are. I'm not sure though, I haven't heard any," Gabriella grinned, remembering the way Chad had complained about Troy's lame sense of humor. _

"_Alright, well since you begged, I guess I can treat you to a few jokes…" Troy smiled slightly, his eyes warming up. "What did the fish say when he bumped into a wall?" _

_Gabriella frowned. "I don't know?" _

"_DAM! Of course," Troy rolled his eyes, smiling at Gabriella, who was laughing. _

"_Chad was right," she sang. "La-ame."_

"_Such high standards." Troy sighed. "What did the big tomato say to the small tomato?" _

"_Get fatter?" Gabriella guessed. _

"_Ketch-up," Troy laughed. "And I thought you were supposed to be smart."_

"_Compared to somebody here," Gabriella shot back, smiling, "I believe I am a genius."_

Troy felt elated and light, like he was floating. He was here to help his father, and yet he was having so much fun. He felt like he was back in high school, hanging out with Chad, when he didn't have a care in the world. It was strange how this practically stranger girl influenced him so much. He studied the way she laughed and talked animatedly to the cashier, the way she moved her hands when she talked, the way she radiated a warmth and energy that noticed especially since it was something he so lacked. He liked how her smile came so easily and naturally, how her eyes glittered and glowed with a playful fire, and how she was so unaware of the fact that she was gorgeous and the effect she had on the people around her. Wait, he stopped himself. Was he really thinking this? About the girl he so recently hated? Right when his father was most likely dying in pain? He reproached himself angrily, silently handed his credit card over to the cashier.

"So, Gabriella, what are you doing this weekend?" Troy asked her as they headed back to the car, each carrying bags of groceries.

"Oh, I have a thing next Saturday night…" Gabriella said, blushing.

"A thing?" Troy asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Gabriella looked at him, enjoying their newfound friendship, and smiled shyly.

"Yeah," she answered, biting her lip. "Just a thing."

For the rest of the week, Troy spent his time with his parents and with Gabriella. It was strange how he'd completely give up on basketball for the time being. He was too preoccupied, always thinking about his father. He treasured every minute with him, every second, and tried to act as upbeat and happy as he could. He forced smiles, talked more than usual, and tried to keep them all feeling optimistic and happy. It drained a lot of his energy, and he had constant headaches, and the fact that Chad was staying with him didn't help him at all. Chad was depressed and mopey, constantly thinking about Sharpay, whom he still loved dearly. Troy would blow up all the time now in public, at Chad for being negative and whiny at the pizza place, at the waiters for being slow and incompetent, and at the paparazzi for following him around all over the place. He was constantly worrying, about Chad, about Sharpay, who was spending the nights with a mystery person unbeknownst to Chad, about his father, about his mother, about his basketball career… It made him panicky and short-tempered, and he felt like a fake smile was constantly plastered to his face. Everything angered him, everything worried him, and he was extremely unhappy.

With Gabriella, on the other hand, spending time with her came easily. He would pick her up on the way to run errands, be it doing the laundry or picking up more food for his parents. He took her all over the city, and they would spend time just sitting in the car on the way to places, talking. They talked a lot about his past, about his childhood, his crazy high school years, and his college life. He wanted to know more about the sweet brunette who always left his car smelling like a mix of her strawberry shampoo and her slightly spicy perfume. Spending time with Gabriella became an enjoyment, and he started to look forward to the time he could be with her.

On Saturday night at six, Troy arrived at Sharpay's house at the request of Chad, to do some snooping and talk to Sharpay. He knocked sharply at the door, impatiently waiting for Sharpay to answer.

"Oh, hey Troy," Gabriella said, jumping in surprise. She bit her lip nervously at the sight of Troy in a dark blue shirt and light jeans, his hair hanging in those intense blue eyes. Troy looked at Gabriella in shock.

"Wow, you look nice, Montez," he said, staring at her. She looked much better than nice. She was wearing a soft mint green dress the flowed out just above her knees, strappy black heels, and her long silver necklace lay right in the valley of her breasts, the pendant hidden in the dress, dragging his eyes straight to her chest…

"Thanks," Gabriella breathed, taking a step back and allowing Troy to enter the house.

Sharpay came up behind Gabriella and cleared her throat loudly, noticing the way Troy was staring at Gabriella's boobs and Gabriella's sad obliviousness.

Troy's eyes snapped up, and he focused on Sharpay. "Hey Shar," Troy greeted her, reluctant to take his eyes of Gabriella.

"Well, hi there Troy," Sharpay teased, knowing full well what was going on. "Gabriella's going to leave soon… So it'll just be us two."

"That's fine," Troy answered nonchalantly, walking into the living room and flopping down in one of her couches. "Where is she going, anyways?"

Before Sharpay could answer, Gabriella entered the room again, holding her dark curls up at the nape of her neck. "Up or down, Shar?"

"Up," Sharpay answered, tossing Troy a beer. "It's more formal, and it shows off your earrings." Troy glanced up, noticing the way Gabriella's neck arched gracefully as she gathered her hair in a messy bun, her simple dangling diamond earrings elongating her neck. Gabriella walked over to wear Sharpay was in the kitchen, quietly discussing something with her.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and being the closest, Troy stood up to answer the door. Standing on the doorstep was that bartender from Sharpay's party, in an expensive-looking jacket, white collared shirt, and black jeans. Troy narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, what are you doing here?" Troy asked, annoyed. The bartender was holding a bouquet of red roses in his hand. How cheesy, Troy thought, internally rolling his eyes.

"I'm here to pick up Gabriella," Matt responded, smirking at the way Troy's eyes flashed with jealousy.

"Matt! Hey," Gabriella suddenly appeared behind Troy. She looked up at him. "I'll see you later, Troy." She stepped around him, before taking Matt's bouquet of flowers and laughing happily as Matt lead her towards his car.

"Yeah," Troy whispered, slamming the door shut and turning back to a smiling Sharpay. "What?" he asked, annoyed, but he already knew what she was thinking.

"Oh lord, Troy," Sharpay shook her head. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reading, as usual. I hope you liked this chapter! It's super long, yes I know, and as I will be gone this weekend I hope it will satisfy you enough until Tuesday. What do you think about Troy's new fondness about Gabriella? And what about Matt? Yay or nay? Do you think he's the good guy that he seems to be… or some bad guy in disguise? A druggie? Terrorist? Plus, there's all this Sharpay/Chad/Taylor drama… Who's in the wrong there? **

**Anyways, please, feedback really is appreciated. It's really the most important thing for me, to know what you guys think and if you guys liked it. This chapter was super hard to write, for some reason. If I get enough comments/criticism/reviews, I think I'm going to post a 2-chapter special when I come back from vacation… And trust me, these next two chapters you really want to just get through. The exciting part is coming up! **

**So please, please, please (with a cherry on top? And maybe a nice Zac Efron to go with : )) review, even if only to tell me how much you hated this chapter, or how much you hate the fact that Troy is being so weak and Taylor is being so annoying. Tell me what you think!**

**Lots of love,**

**Lexi**


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

**WARNING: I know this is rated M, but here it is again, there is some slight sexuality in this chapter, so if you're uncomfortable, beware and skip that part! The rest is worth reading…**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Gabriella's cheeks hurt from smiling so much, and her uncontrollable laughter seemed to echo in the hushed, dim light of the formal restaurant they were in. She studied Matt with sparkling eyes in the romantic, flickering candlelight. His caramel-colored light brown was carefully slicked to the side, his green eyes were the color of emeralds, and he had a dazzling white grin that came so easily and seemed contagious. He was handsome, charming, and unbelievably funny. Additionally, he was chivalrous, the kind that made Gabriella swoon a little and blush deeply, complimenting her appearance, opening doors, pulling out chairs, making sure she ordered first, and paying without even hesitating. Most of all, he was smart, and conversation came easily with him. Over a fancy dinner they talked about their family, their history, books, writing, cooking, movies, music…

"You know," Matt explained as they shared a cheesecake, "bartending is an art. It's hard to get that perfect martini, you know. Being the genius you are, I'm sure you understand that it makes a physical difference which way you shake the ice, with how much pressure and the speed. Physics class was important after all."

Gabriella giggled, her cheeks flushed. "You sound so professional, but I really don't remember learning about that in Physics class."

Matt grinned, leaning back. "It's also about the measurements and stuff… All math, very methodical, extremely pro."

"So, do you do anything other than your seemingly very complicated bartending?" Gabriella smiled, resting her chin on her hand.

Matt shifted slightly, and Gabriella immediately noticed the flash of uneasiness in his eyes, something that would be impossible to detect if she hadn't been trained for this. "Enough about my boring life, how about you? How do you like LA? It's been one week, right?" He smiled, the uneasiness gone.

"Oh, I absolutely love it here," Gabriella gushed, deciding to ignore his strange reaction, "Life is so interesting here, especially the people." She laughed, glancing up at him through her thick eyelashes.

"Ah, you mean, me," Matt grinned confidently. "How about Troy Bolton, the hot shot basketball star? What's it like knowing him?"

Gabriella leaned back thoughtfully. She saw the way everyone else outside their little group saw him—his icy blue eyes, his perfectly messy sandy hair, his muscular build, and his cold, hard expression. But more importantly, she remembered the way she saw him- his easy half-smile, his kind, gentle blue eyes, and they way he ran his hands through his hair when he was excited and scratched the back of his neck when he was nervous. "He's a really good person once you get to know him," Gabriella replied, reminding herself that she was on a date with someone else.

"Really? I heard that he's a really mean guy, and apparently he had a horrible childhood. He's hiding a dark secret." Matt leaned forward, his face excited in the flickering candlelight.

"Um," Gabriella said slightly uneasily, taken aback by the vicious hunger for information in his eyes. "I don't really know…"

Matt smiled again, averting the moment of awkwardness. "Well, everyone's a mystery…"

Later, after flagging down an uptight waiter and paying for the hefty check, Matt took Gabriella's hand and led her out of the restaurant, sliding an arm around her narrow waist and pulling her close to him. Gabriella was surprised by the intimacy of the move, and her heart started beating quickly, her cheeks flushing a rosy pink. They walked quietly under the soft glow of the streetlamps and the twinkling, starry sky, Matt's lips at her ear and his arms encircling her waist, his hands lying on her hips. Gabriella breathed in the sweet early autumn air, closing her eyes, and basking in the glow of happiness that seemed to surround her. Suddenly, Matt twirled her around, and rested his forehead against hers gently before pressing his lips to hers. The distant sound of late night traffic faded to a buzz in Gabriella's ears, the soft light of the streetlamp they stood under seemed to grow brighter and warmer, and Gabriella wrapped her arms around Matt's neck as he pulled her even closer.

"Do you want to go somewhere?" he whispered huskily in her ear, kissing her neck. Gabriella immediately pulled back.

"I'm sorry, excuse me?" she asked, incredulous.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to go back," he replied easily, wrapping his arm around her waist. "It's getting late."

Gabriella was still thinking about what he'd asked her as he'd kissed her goodbye and she walked back into Sharpay's mansion. She crossed the foyer, taking out her earrings, and headed into the living room where Sharpay liked to spend her nights reading Vogue or Harper's Bazaar by the fire now that Chad was gone. As she got closer, she heard the sound of voices.

"Gabby, Gabby, how was your date?" Sharpay looked up from where she was sprawled on her favorite couch, a copy of the latest Vogue sitting unopened in her lap. Troy glanced up lazily from his seat on the armchair next to Sharpay.

"It was wonderful," Gabriella smiled happily. "Hold on, let me go change and I'll come gossip with you ladies."

As she disappeared upstairs, Troy couldn't help watching the way her hips swayed as she walked, her dress swirling around her knees. He thought of how Sharpay had interrogated him earlier that night, asking about Gabriella this, Gabriella that. Did he really like her? He barely knew her. He couldn't like her, right? Especially not now, when he had to focus on his father and basketball and everything else going on in his life…

"No," he said in answer to the unasked question in Sharpay's eyes. He stood up, stretching in front of the warm fireplace. "I should go."

"Leaving already, Bolton? We haven't even had our little fireside chat yet," Gabriella smiled as she made her way down the stairs in her favorite old oversized Harvard t-shirt and tiny UCLA shorts, her hair loose and rolling past her shoulders. She slid into the armchair on the other side of Sharpay and across from Troy.

Troy hesitated. "I was going to leave you two to your girly conversations…"

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "Stay, Troy," she ordered, yawning. "But could you be a dear and get us some of the tea in the kitchen? Thank you I love you," Sharpay smiled. Troy rolled his eyes, but nonetheless headed towards the kitchen.

"Aren't you nice, Shar," Gabriella laughed, warming her hands near the glowing fire.

"Always," Sharpay laughed. "Anyways, tell me about your date! I want to hear all the gory details."

"It was really nice," Gabriella giggled, her face lighting up. "He took me to this really nice restaurant, super fancy Italian food, all candlelight, live band, all deep reds and maroons and mahogany tables…"

Troy rolled his eyes, setting three steaming mugs of sweet tea "That restaurant? What, Bella Luna? Totally pretentious and for people who think they're so rich and well off. Glance under that fancy lace tablecloth and you'll see a table from the flea market."

Gabriella laughed, stretching out her leg and nudging Troy's. "Oh stop it. Anyways, I had such a good time."

Sharpay huffed, impatient. "Enough about the scenery, what's he like? I've had him at a few of my parties before, and no offense gabs, but he's always talking to my guests in a very flirtatious way. And sometimes I catch him eyeing some of those models like they're pieces of meat."

"Oh, no," Gabriella shook her head vigorously. "He was the perfect gentleman, all chivalry, straight out of a movie! But I think he did try to make a pass at me… He was pretty touchy-feely." she trailed off.

"What, you mean he tried to get in your pants on the first date? Dump him, now," Sharpay insisted, taking a sip of her tea and staring at Troy knowingly.

"Well, I don't know, I really like him…" Gabriella sank into the warm pillows of the armchair and studied her two friends affectionately. "So, what did you two gossips talk about when I was gone?"

Troy scratched his neck, exchanging a glance with Sharpay. "Oh, just stuff."

The next few weeks turned into a routine for all of them. Chad's whole world revolved around Sharpay and basketball. He would kill himself at practice, trying to make up for the missing Troy, and then he would try to talk to Sharpay. Sharpay would studiously ignore him and spend most of her nights at a mysterious stranger's home, causing Chad to mope and complain to Troy almost nonstop. Troy was still a mess of wound up energy, exploding at random times and at random people. He would spend most of his time at his deteriorating father's side, and then he would somehow find Gabriella and find comfort in her soft voice and happy smile. Gabriella, on the other hand, immersed herself in her work, as articles about the now explosive Troy kept popping up all over the place, especially from an unknown source at the LA Times' rival newspaper. Her "Troy" binder was now full and bursting, the pages filled with her small, neat handwriting. Her only goal now was to show the world the Troy she knew, and to keep that Troy from seeing the harsh words of the media, which was easy enough seeing as he was too tired and busy to read anything these days, much less the newspaper. Still, she made sure Chad kept each day's newspaper in his closet, and she watched the pile of hurtful words grow slowly with each passing day. Taylor observed them all silently, hiding her pain and her guilt deep inside, yet took every chance to comfort Chad, but at the same time, slowly making an intricate plan.

At the same time, Gabriella's relationship with Matt was growing stronger and stronger. She was in love with his romantic ways, the way his smile seemed to light up the room, the way his hands were always on her, holding her, pulling her tighter… She spent almost every night with him when he didn't have a bartending gig, going to exotic restaurants and walking through parks. They'd usually end up in some dark corner, his hand reaching too far, and she'd pull back quickly, but other than that, Gabriella was ecstatic. However, something that puzzled her was the way Troy kept coming up in their conversations.

"You know, there was a testimony from his last girlfriend that said he abused her," Matt would randomly say as they ate salmon skin rolls.

"I heard from a reliable source that he raped some girl in his hometown…" he'd murmur as he nuzzled her neck in the back of a movie theater.

"I want you to stay away from him," Matt said one night, a few weeks after their first date. His arms were locked around her waist as she straddled him in the car outside Sharpay's mansion after a night out.

"I'm sorry?" Gabriella asked, her eyes closed as she rested her head on Matt's shoulder. Matt moved his hands up Gabriella's skirt, inching closer to a place that Gabriella guarded heavily. Gabriella moaned quietly into his neck, his words like an unclear buzzing in her ears. A part of her screamed at her to make this stop, but it felt so good, and after all this resisting she found it hard to say a word…

"Don't talk to him again, Gabriella," Matt murmured into her ear, his fingers slipping under her underwear. Gabriella gasped as he slid a finger into her. She clutched his collar as he started to thrust inside of her, and as this was a first for Gabriella her mind was clouded as he made her feel feelings she'd never felt before. Her breath came shorter as his other hand came around to her chest…

"Don't. Ever. Look. At. Him. Again." Matt punctuated each word with a kiss on her neck. Suddenly, a stronger part inside of Gabriella screamed at her to listen to what Matt was saying. She forced herself away, pressing her back into the steering wheel and pushing his hands away with shaking hands.

"No," she said, shaking her head to clear her mind. "No. No. NO." She clambered out of the seat, flung the door open and ran up the path. "Thanks for a lovely night," she called out in a voice an octave too high to a stunned Matt. She banged on the door, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Gabriella?"

Troy opened the door and was surprised to feel the petite brunette falling into his arms. "Whoa, easy there," he said, putting one arm carefully under her knees and sweeping her up bridal style and carrying her into the living room, placing her gently on her usual armchair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed, her shoulders shaking heavily, and he sat there awkwardly, patting her on the shoulder. She was disheveled, her hair messy, her tank top lopsided, her bra clasp digging into her back, and her skirt hitched high. Troy winced when he thought of what she must've been doing with Matt.

"That bastard," he murmured, rubbing her arms. "Ella, you okay?"

Gabriella sniffed, tears running down her cheeks. "All this time… that night… No, no… Never… " she broke into fresh tears, angry at herself from succumbing to Matt, to physical lust, after what she'd seen that night all those years ago…

"Hey, hey, don't cry Ella, he's not worth it." Troy whispered, running his fingers through her tangled hair.

Gabriella looked up at him with teary eyes. "You didn't call me Montez… You called me Ella." She smiled slightly as Troy blushed.

"Um, yeah, I guess it suits you, Montez." He disentangled himself and took the seat opposite her, studying her carefully. "You okay?"

Gabriella took a deep breath. It was okay. She was fine. "I'll be fine, thanks," she whispered. Then her eyebrows knit together as she realized Troy was in Sharpay's house. "Why are you here? Not that I'm unhappy that you're here, it's just…" Gabriella started rambling, wiping her cheeks.

Troy smiled. "Shar had an emergency, and I was the only one available." His face suddenly turned serious again as they both heard footsteps from the direction of the bathroom. They both turned to see Sharpay padding towards them in her favorite sweats with no makeup on, her blonde hair loose and her dark eyes rimmed with red.

"Shar, are you okay?" Gabriella stood up, taking a step towards her friend.

Sharpay collapsed on the sofa, and threw a small white stick onto the coffeetable, where it landed right in the center. At the end of the stick glowed a bright pink smiley face.

"I'm pregnant."

Gabriella's eyes grew to twice their normal size. Troy froze, his face turning to stone.

"Who?" Gabriella asked hesitantly, breaking the silence that had fallen. "Chad?"

Sharpay had tears in her eyes. "There's about a ten percent chance it's Chad—"

Troy buried his face in his hands. "From when you guys had breakup sex. Chad moaned about it for ages."

Gabriella gasped. "You guys had breakup sex? When? Shar!"

Sharpay rubbed her temples. "I didn't want to bother you, Gabs. You were so busy with work and Matt, and you seemed so happy…"

Troy stiffened. "It's Zeke, isn't it." He shut his eyes tight, imagining the way Chad would react. He knew how violent Chad could get, and the near future wasn't looking so good for Zeke. He groaned, knowing what he had to do.

Gabriella fixed her eyes on Sharpay as suddenly, everything became clear. Sharpay nodded silently, and the three of them spent the night in the living room, in front of a crackling fire, contemplating how their lives would change.

The next day, a gang meeting was called, and they all met up at Sharpay's favorite coffee shop—Starbucks. Gabriella and Troy were both against this, afraid of causing a scene, but Sharpay believed it would prevent a scene. So that day, that fateful Tuesday mid-fall, Sharpay, Troy, Gabriella, Chad, Taylor, Zeke, and Jason gathered together at Starbucks. After they'd all gotten their caffeine, Sharpay cleared her throat.

"Okay, guys," Sharpay said, her trained actress's voice ringing out clear and true. "I have an announcement to make."

"And no matter what it is, we'll stick by her, right guys?" Gabriella fiddled with her coffee nervously. A confused chorus of "right"s rang out through the group.

"Alright, then," Sharpay continued. "I'm pregnant."

Her news was met with a deadly silence, and Gabriella gripped Troy's hand under the table in nervousness, her eyes unable to glance up and meet Chad's. Troy on the other hand studied Chad, watching his ever move, calculating and scrutinizing the way Chad's face muscles tightened and winced, the way he flinched, the way his eyes grew dark and hard. Troy knew that Chad was sure it wasn't his. Troy's eyes flicked over to Zeke, who had gone slightly pale and who was fearfully looking at Chad. Troy braced himself internally for what he'd decided to do the night before.

"Mine," Troy called out, before Chad could even ask. Gabriella's hand squeezed his in panic as she looked at him with huge eyes. "It's mine." His voice rang out even stronger and clearer than Sharpay's, and to the group, there was no doubt about the truth. Chad stood up angrily and threw his fist out.

"Bastard!" he screamed. "She was my girlfriend! You know how much I LOVE HER!" Chad yelled, his voice quivering with tears. "HOW COULD YOU?" He jumped up, oblivious to the stares and snaps of camera phones all around them, and tackled Troy to the ground.

"NO!" Gabriella and Sharpay shouted at the same time. With the help of an extremely pale Zeke, they wrestled Chad off of Troy. Taylor hastily dialed 911 as Gabriella and Jason helped Troy up and into a chair. His nose was bleeding, his beautiful blue eyes already swelling, and he groaned with pain.

"You're an idiot," Gabriella whispered, trying to clean the blood off his face. "Why did you do that, Troy?"

Troy smiled weakly, fading out of consciousness. He closed his eyes, and the last thing he saw was an angel, that same angel that had taken care of him weeks ago, leaning down towards him….

Gabriella stayed was the only one that went with Troy to the hospital. Sharpay was weak and had almost fainted at the sight of Chad beating up her best friend, Zeke was shattered and pale and confused, and Chad was fuming and unable to talk to anyone except Taylor, who was trying to make the best of the situation, and Jason, who tried but failed horribly at making jokes. Gabriella held Troy's hand as they entered the hospital, but because she was not family she was unable to go any further than the waiting room. She sank into a chair, her head in her hands, trying to understand what Troy had done. Why had he taken the blame for Zeke? Why did he so obviously lie? The truth was bound to come out, sooner or later. What would he do then? Gabriella sighed. Troy and Chad were close, buddies, best friends—

Her train of thought was interrupted when she felt a gentle tap on the shoulder. She looked up to see a slightly familiar looking older woman standing above her. Gabriella rose. "Hi, are you Gabriella Montez?" The woman asked unsmilingly.

"Yes," Gabriella answered hesitantly, as she felt like the woman already knew her answer. "Can I help you?"

The woman sniffed, and her clear blue eyes scanned Gabriella, as though they could see straight through her. "Well, if you see Troy, tell him to come find his father immediately. Things are not going well." The woman, who Gabriella now realized was Troy's mother, stared at her coldly before turning and leaving.

Gabriella sighed again, confused at the coldness of Troy's mother. She turned to face the nurse now coming towards her, squaring her shoulders. She knew that in the next few months, her life was going to change drastically.

**A/N: Hello, my dears! So luckily, I was able to post this earlier than expected! Thanks for reading, as usual. How did you like this chapter? There's a lot going on, now, and the drama's just starting! So, what do you think about Matt? Physical, much? And what do you think about his strange fascination with Troy and his demands? What about Sharpay's pregnancy? Expected? Unexpected? And why do you think Troy said he's the father? **

**Again, I cannot stress how important your feedback is to me. It's a way for me to improve my writing, and that really is one of the main reasons I write. I love writing this story so much, and I would really like to know what you guys think! So please read and review, and I hope that you guys are enjoying this story as much as I am writing it! **

**I'll try to update as soon as I can… Again, reviews help!**

**Lots of love,**

**Lexi**


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. **

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"Afhaowehfoaiwef."

Gabriella's eyes snapped open and she jumped out of bed. She rushed into the bathroom, rubbing her eyes with sleepiness against the bright, early morning sunlight and reached over to hold up Sharpay's long silky blonde locks.

"Oh, Shar," Gabriella sighed as Sharpay emptied out what Gabriella realized was last night's dinner. "Are you okay? Do you want me to get you some water or something?"

Sharpay coughed, flushing the toilet and rinsing her mouth, squinting her eyes with disgust. "Ugh, I hate being pregnant. This damn baby better be worth it," Sharpay fluffed out her hair and reapplied a layer of her new favorite shimmery pink lip gloss.

Gabriella took Sharpay's hand in hers and rubbed her knuckles comfortingly, before leading her into the kitchen. Sharpay took seat at the kitchen island as Gabriella went to the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water, as was their usual routine for the past two weeks. "Well. This most definitely sucks." Sharpay tossed her hair back, before wincing as a wave of nausea hit her.

"What?" Gabriella smiled, handing her a bottle of water and an orange.

"I don't have a guy, I don't have a future, my clothes won't fit anymore soon, and you and Troy are not together…" Sharpay moaned, viciously slicing the orange up and popping pieces into her mouth.

Gabriella laughed. "Firstly, you have _me_, Shar. I'll always be here for you, alright? And secondly, you have an amazing future. You're talented, beautiful, and a renaissance woman. Seriously, Shar? If you don't have a future, I am basically looking my death in the eye," Gabriella giggled. "And about your clothes? Hello. Shopping. As for that last comment, I have no idea what you're talking about." Gabriella smiled coyly. "I love Matt, and you know it, Shar."

Sharpay sighed, annoyed. "That boy is way too fucking touchy feely for me. Hey Gabs, I'll call up Taylor and we can all go shopping later on, it's a Saturday, our favorite day of the week." Sharpay grinned, and suddenly her eyes lit up. "Hey Gabs, do we have hotdogs? I'm really craving a good old fashioned dog right now—"

All of a sudden, the door burst open, and Zeke ran in, out of breath. His eyes were wide as he took a deep breath. "Guys, we have a problem. Especially you, Gabriella. We have to get to the hospital, now. Troy's dad…" Zeke trailed off, looking the girls knowingly in the eye.

Gabriella and Sharpay both jumped up, rushing out of the kitchen in search of shoes. Gabriella shot a quick glance in the mirror, frowning at her navy blue tank top, grey sweatpants, and curly mess of hair. She sighed, shrugging it off as she knew Troy needed them, and followed Zeke and Sharpay into Zeke's Mercedes. On the way to the hospital they were silent, all dreading what was going to happen. Gabriella knew Troy had been going through a tough time during the past few weeks, as Chad hadn't spoken a word to his former best friend and Jack Bolton's health got worse and worse. A flicker of confusion and curiosity fluttered inside of Gabriella, and she wondered why Zeke had singled her out. Maybe this had to do with the fact that Mrs. Bolton obvious did not like Gabriella at all, as she'd shown in the few times she'd met her in the hospital when she was waiting for Troy. Gabriella sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair. Poor Troy, she thought. Chad still didn't know the baby was Zeke's, and Troy had been under so much pressure and stress lately, she could see the practically permanent dark circles under his eyes and the hardened look in his icy ceruleans.

"I'll park and help Shar, you go first, Gabs," Zeke told her, stopping by the entrance of the hospital. Gabriella ran out of the car and through the already familiar hospital doors, a wave of cold air hitting her and raising goosebumps on her bare arms. She rushed past the familiar hallways, before coming to a sudden stop in front of Troy's father's hospital room. There was a stretch of glass outside the room, and she peeked in and saw an emancipated Troy sitting next to his pale father, tightly grasping his hands…

Jack Bolton felt like he was being watched, and he raised his eyes to see a dark-haired beauty peeking in at them through the glass window. His heart quickened, and he suddenly felt like he was transported back more than forty years previous…

"_Stop it!" she laughed, her luscious, long curls swaying around her hips as she held her hands out in front of soaking wet body defensively. "Don't you dare spray me again, Jack, or I swear I'll—"_

"_You'll what?" Jack Bolton grinned confidently, holding the garden hose tighter in his hands. His 18-year-old, basketball captain's body loomed almost a foot over her, and she giggled and looked up at him through her thick eyelashes. _

"_I won't kiss you for the whole day," she smiled sweetly, standing on her tiptoes and wrapping her arms around his neck. She pressed her petite body against his, and he wrapped one arm around her waist. _

"_You can't last that long," Jack laughed at the preposterous thought. With his free hand he flicked his wrist and a shower of cool droplets fell on their hands. The beautiful brunette in his arms squealed and squirmed, but he held her tighter and they laughed together before he leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet kiss, the warm summer sun baking them and the cool water dripping down their hair. _

"_I love you," he whispered into her ear, and he felt her smile as she laced her hands with his. _

"_I love you too, Jack," she replied softly. "Forever." _

"Dad?" Troy asked worriedly, seeing the blank look in his father's eyes. Jack Bolton was yanked back into the present, and he glanced weakly out the window again, but there was no sign of the brunette girl. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Jack replied distractedly. Had he been dreaming? "What's the name of that girl that you've been with, Troy?" Jack could feel his wife stiffen beside him, and he knew he'd hit home.

"Um, Gabriella Montez," Troy replied, confusedly glancing at his mother, whose cold, hard look mirrored the one he so often wore.

"Can you ask her to come in for a second? I want to talk to her," Jack asked weakly but firmly. He knew his time was ticking away, and he wanted to see a glimpse of her, one last time. Troy stood up cautiously and left the room.

"Jack…" Lucille Bolton gripped her husband's hand tightly. "Don't do this."

"I have to, Lucy," Jack replied, smiling at her and rubbing her knuckles lightly. "I love you. I chose you, remember?" Lucille Bolton flinched and nodded, standing up as Troy reentered with the all-too-familiar Latina beauty by his side. Jack couldn't take his eyes off her, and his eyes filled with tears.

"Alone," he whispered hoarsely, and Troy shot Gabriella one last questioning look before leaving the room with his mother. Gabriella looked up shyly, extremely confused.

"Hello, Mr. Bolton," she said timidly, breaking the silence that had fallen. Jack Bolton gestured weakly to the seat next to him, and Gabriella hesitantly sat down.

"You look exactly like your mother," Jack Bolton stated calmly, looking at Gabriella with surprisingly clear blue eyes. Gabriella's eyes widened, and Jack chuckled softly. "You have her hair, her nose, her bone structure… And most of all, you have her eyes." Jack Bolton closed his eyes, lost in memories. "Those eyes… They burned like fire, always so passionate. Maria…"

"You knew my mother?" Gabriella asked, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest.

"Oh, I did so much more than just know her," Jack Bolton smiled, and for a second, he felt like an 18 year old boy again, sitting on the sand with his first love in his arms. "I loved her, and I loved her very much."

Gabriella's eyes filled with tears as she looked at this frail old man, who was staring at her but seemed to be seeing someone else. Suddenly, she gasped. "JB… Jack Bolton… You wrote all those letters. I saw them, from the summers she spent in Santa Fe."

Jack Bolton smiled, and Gabriella too could see the handsome, charming 18-year-old her own mother had loved dearly. "Yes, that was me. Gabriella, dear," Jack coughed, and he felt himself fading. He looked closely at the girl in front of him, taking in her dark ringlets, tanned skin, slim, petite figure, and warm, chocolate eyes. "Take this." He reached under his pillow, and pulled out a faded, worn out leather notebook. Gabriella guessed what it was, and took it from him with shaking hands.

"Someone should know our story," Jack Bolton smiled dreamily. He then looked at Gabriella with those clear eyes. "I'm ready to say goodbye to my family now. Take care, Gabriella Montez. Tell your mother I say hi."

Gabriella left the room quietly, tears streaming down her cheeks. She told Troy and his mother to go back into the room, and ran down the maze-like halls before reaching the waiting room, where she'd spent hours in for the past six weeks. She clutched the worn leather notebook to her chest as she spotted her waiting friends. She collapsed into a hard plastic chair next to Sharpay and wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"Gabriella, are you okay?" Taylor asked her cautiously. Gabriella looked up at them, her eyes rimmed with red.

"Jack Bolton knew my mother," she answered, half hysterical. "He knew her."

Sharpay raised her eyebrows. "And…?"

"I didn't, Shar." Gabriella looked down at the notebook in her lap. "My mother died when I was three years old. I never got to know her. I never even saw a picture of her." She flipped open the cover, and took out a creased picture that had been folded into the front. The group crowded around her gasped.

"Oh, my god…" Sharpay put a hand to her mouth, her eyes widening. The picture was faded and yellow, but there was no mistaking it. It seemed to be a picture of a slightly younger Troy and Gabriella with their arms around each other and identical wide smiles on their faces as waves crashed around their ankles. The Troy in the picture was taller, his features straighter, and the Gabriella had long, curling hair down to her waist, her head leaning against his chest. However, the resemblance was shocking, and Gabriella stared at the picture, drinking it all in. It was the first picture she'd seen of her mother, and strangely, it struck her how perfect they seemed to be for each other…

Thirty minutes later, Troy walked out of his father's hospital room. He couldn't see through the pain, and he felt like a huge hole had been ripped out of his heart. But he had to be strong for his mother's sake, and he held her as they walked towards the exit of the hospital. He could feel the dampness of his mother's tears, and he choked back a sob, his face hardening and his eyes turning into solid ice. He told his mother to go home, handled everything with the doctors, paid all the bills, and folded up a brochure about funeral arrangements. He walked stiffly to the waiting room where his friends were, and was greeted by a round of hugs and pats on the back, but he felt numb to it all. He couldn't even muster up the energy to ask Gabriella about what his father had said to her. His heart ached, and all he wanted to do was go back home and crawl into his bed and never wake up again. He robotically answered all his friends' questions and concerns with one word answers without thinking, and then he drove himself back to his apartment, despite the protests of his friends. When he arrived home, he threw the brochure into a corner of the living room and crawled into bed, shutting his eyes tight and trying to fight the gaping hole in his chest. He couldn't see, he couldn't hear, and he could barely breathe as his world was consumed in a wave on unconsciousness, where he dreamed and dreamed.

"_Nice shot, Troy!" he looked at the smiling eyes of his father as he shot his plastic basketball into the multicolored toy hoop in the living room, much at the protest of his mother. _

"_Come on, Troy! Dribble… and shoot!" his dad grinned at him as he practiced in his backyard at the age of eight, already skilled and familiar with that big orange ball. _

"_TROY! You made the team!" His father smiled at him proudly that fall day, freshman year. "Youngest varsity member… after me, of course," his father hugged him tightly, rubbing his messy hair. _

"_YOU GOT THIS TROY!" he heard his dad shout as he raced against the clock to score that final winning point, sweat dripping down his face. _

"_You've always made me proud, son," he read in those gentle blue eyes on the day of his graduation. "I love you." _

* * *

><p>For the next week, Gabriella was constantly busy, and between worrying about her friends and learning about her mother and going out with Matt she barely had time to breathe. Troy was constantly on her mind, as he was all alone in his apartment since Chad had moved in with Taylor, the irony, and he hadn't spoken to anyone all week, or even come out of his apartment at all as far as she knew. Sharpay was getting more and more pregnant, her stomach growing slightly more defined, and she was having cravings in the middle of the night. The supermarket became a second home to Gabriella. Plus, Chad was getting more and more depressed with the growing of the baby inside Sharpay, and he was constantly grumpy and hard to deal with. Taylor was as well, and Gabriela could see that Taylor was trying everything to cheer Chad up but with no avail. Zeke was constantly busy with his cooking with some big event coming up, and he snuck over as much as he could to help with Sharpay but it still wasn't enough. At work, harsh, judgmental articles were piling up on her desk, and her fingers didn't seem to be able to type fast enough. She wrote article after article, defending her dear friend, and she kept a copy of everything in her Troy binder, which she'd had to expand. And she barely had time to deal with Matt, who was always bugging her about Troy and… <em>touching <em>her. It had seemed cute and romantic at first, but now she just felt overwhelmed.

"Gabriella, Gabriella," Matt said to her one night after they'd watched the newest romantic comedy in theaters, "I heard that Troy's been a hermit lately."

"What?" Gabriella asked, annoyed. Why was Matt so interested in Troy? She was too tired to dig deeper into this story, but it sparked curiosity and annoyance in her.

"After his dad died, I've heard that he's been extremely cold and hasn't eaten in days and may be in danger of getting sick himself and dying." Gabriella glanced over at Matt, who looked entirely too cheerful about that for her taste. She sighed.

"Look, Matt, we've been through this before, okay? I don't know," Gabriella murmured, even though what he'd said was basically true. She flashed back to that night when he'd used her physical weakness against her. And still all about Troy.

"Gabriella, I know you're close to him. I just don't want you to get hurt," Matt looked over at her, his green eyes smoldering. It was at times like this that Gabriella felt her resolve weaken and she seemed to go with everything Matt said. "I just think you should stay away from him..."

"Stop it, okay?" Gabriella snapped. "Troy and I are friends, and we're going to be friends. End of story. Period." She threw an annoyed look at Matt, who didn't respond, except for the whitening of his knuckles against the steering wheel.

"Alright, alright," Matt reached over and took her hand in his, squeezing it a little too hard. "I just don't want you to get hurt, love," he said, pulling up to Sharpay's house. He leaned in to kiss her goodnight, and his tongue lingered in her mouth, his hands sliding up her top and under her bra as Gabriella moaned into his kiss...

Later that night, after her date with Matt where she'd barely avoided his hints at sex and before Sharpay got up for food, Gabriella read Jack's diary. Pictures were enclosed and slowly, as she did this every night, she got to know her mother and read into their passionate summer romance that had turned into so much more.

_Monday, June 6__th_

_Finally got out of school today. I am officially out of high school. To celebrate, Mark, Peter and I went to the local bar. I got extremely drunk, and as I stumbled out of that damn bar (it was hot and tourists kept trying to grind up on me), I saw her.  
>It was straight out of a movie, I swear. She was like an angel, standing alone on the beach. The moon was out, bright, and she seemed to glow. Her hair cascaded in waves down her back, and I could see her profile outlined in silver—a button nose, full lips, and wide eyes. I wanted to see more, to maybe go talk to her, but Peter pulled me away. Said something about early basketball practice. When I looked back, she was with a few other girls, but none of them could compare to her. The way she danced in the sand, the wind blowing her dress out around her knees…<em>

_Friday, June 10th_

_I saw her again. After all these days, I bumped into her at the boardwalk. I was with Lucy, who Peter had set me up with, but all I could see was her. She was wearing a soft yellow tank top and a white skirt, her hair swinging around her as she laughed with her friends. I wanted so badly to go talk to her, but I had Lucy by my side the entire time and I couldn't do that to her... She looked at me and smiled. Her smile was like the sun on a rainy day. Her eyes were like the sweetest chocolates in the world, the kind that you give to your one and only on Valentine's Day. I wanted to walk right up to her, but then she turned away, and she moved away like a dancer, light on her feet, her cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkling... _

Jack Bolton was great at description, and Gabriella could only read a few paragraphs before her eyes filled with tears. She would close her notebook, shoving it under her pillow, and try to sleep before the inevitable waking up of a pregnant Sharpay.

* * *

><p>After a little more than a week of moping around, Troy decided to do something. He decided to clean his apartment. He had barely eaten anything and he was weak and fragile, his mind still cloudy with pain, but he knew he had to do something. His phone was unhooked after it rang constantly with calls from the hospital, from his mother, from the funeral company, and from his friends. He sighed and went into Chad's now empty room. He straightened the covers of the bed and opened the blinds before feeling a wave of exhaustion hit him. Useless, he thought to himself. He threw himself on the bed and tried not to think too much. Suddenly, he realized that Chad's closet was full. Confused, he stood up and carefully opened the door. His eyes narrowed as he took in mountain after mountain of newspapers, stacked neatly.<p>

"What the…" he murmured, taking a few from the pile. He realized how long it had been since he'd read a newspaper… since that first article had come out about him what seemed like years ago. He grabbed a random newspaper on top and started flipping through it, before his eyes widened in horror and shock. He looked at the piles of newspaper, and he suddenly realized what it was.

His vision turned red. His breath was coming out in short puffs. He clenched his hands, his nails biting into the palms of his hands. No, he told himself, it isn't possible. He suddenly reached into a stack in panic, flipping through another newspaper before closing his eyes in rage and knocking them all over. He fell to his knees on the ground, his head bowed, newspapers littering the floor all around him. No. No. No.

"NO." Troy whispered hoarsely. He clutched the newspapers in his hands, as tears threatened to fill his eyes, the first since his father's death. "No."

He felt like his world had been turned upside down. His best friend wasn't speaking to him. His other best friend was pregnant and all alone. His father was dead. His mother was all alone as well. He felt like another hole had been ripped in his chest, in his already broken heart. He was engulfed in a different kind of pain, this kind mixed with fury and anger and fueled by betrayal. Things were just as he had seen them in the beginning. He'd been right all along. What a performance. What a lie. He felt anger and pain rage through him like a wildfire. He ran a hand through his hair, before letting his arms drop to his sides, his eyes shut tight.

He let his body freeze, and he felt a fortress going up around him. No one would ever get through to him. Ever. No one would ever penetrate his defense line ever again, he promised himself. He froze his emotions inside of him, locking them away in a safe without a key, somewhere deep inside him. He felt like ice, devoid of any emotions. But no matter what he did, he couldn't get two burning words out of his mind. They seared into him like lava, the root of all his pain and fury.

Gabriella Montez.

**A/N: Hey there. I finished this chapter early, so I'm here to post it. Dramatic, isn't it? We're getting to the good part now. So, we've cleared up the mystery about why Troy's mother was so uncomfortable with Gabriella, and we know a little bit more about Gabriella's past. What do you guys think of what's happening? What about Troy? What's up with him? What do you think is going on in his brain right now? **

**Thank you for reading. I really appreciate it! Please review and tell me what you think! I couldn't have done this without the help of my friends Elaine and Sabrina, who have been with me and have listened to me rant and rant about Troy and Gabriella. Thank you guys. I'm really excited about writing the next chapter, so if I get enough feedback I'll post it really soon…**

**Lots of love,**

**Lexi**


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**CHAPTER NINE**

"I wouldn't worry too much about him," Sharpay whispered to Gabriella as they hid behind a row of canned goods. Gabriella snuck a peek around the corner where they'd spotted a tired-looking Troy looking at potato chips. "His dad just _died_, Gabs. You have to give him some space and time to mourn."

"Yeah," Gabriella bit her lip worriedly as she snuck another look at Troy, who looked like he hadn't eaten in weeks. He was thin, pale, and his body was hunched over. It'd been almost three weeks since Troy's father had died, and Gabriella hadn't heard anything from him. She was pretty worried, but apparently the almost two-months pregnant Sharpay didn't share her views. "I haven't heard from him in so long, though."

"Well he seemed fine when I had lunch with him a few days ago," Sharpay yawned, examining the brands of canned tuna carefully, her hands absentmindedly folded on her waist. "Just a little quieter. And he ate less. Amazing."

"Wait, you talked to him?" Gabriella said, confused. "Recently?"

"Oh yeah, we've all seen him, except Chad, of course," Sharpay said, picking out a small can of fruit and adding it to their growing basket, not noticing the hurt expression that flashed across Gabriella. "Chad," she repeated, rolling her eyes. "You know, he still hasn't stopped calling, and Zeke is getting pretty annoyed…"

Gabriella unconsciously began to tune her out as her mind started reeling. They'd all talked to Troy except for her? Was he ignoring her or something? Had he seen her articles and felt like it was too weird? Gabriella sighed, running a hand through her curls. "Okay, I'm going to go talk to him," Gabriella decided, straightening her hastily thrown on sweatshirt.

Sharpay stopped mid-sentence. "Um, okay," she eyed her petite friend warily as a steely look of determination formed in Gabriella's dark eyes. "There's no need to look like you're going into battle." Gabriella smiled and rolled her eyes. "I'll be over at the processed meats section, I have to get some hotdogs!" Sharpay waggled her fingers at her slightly crazy best friend, and pushed the cart away.

Gabriella sighed, before turning the corner and crashing into someone. A pair of strong hands caught her by the elbows and steadied her before she could fall on her face. "Oh, I'm so sorry…" Gabriella blushed and looked up, meeting a pair of familiar blue eyes. "Oh, hey Troy…" Suddenly, she felt his hands leave her body as he stood up straight, his eyes emotionless.

"Watch where you're going, Montez," he said, and Gabriella blinked in shock at his cold tone of voice. Montez? He hadn't called her that in a while. She realized how much she preferred Ella.

"Are you okay, Troy?" she asked, stepping closer to him and studying his blank face carefully. "I haven't seen you in so long, I'm so sorry about your dad, and I'm really worried—"

"I'm fine," Troy snapped, taking a step back, already turning away. "Maybe you should just mind your own business, Montez."

Gabriella's jaw dropped in shock, hurt pounding through her veins. "What's going on, Troy?" she caught his arm. "Tell me what's wrong. I... I thought we were friends." She couldn't help the hurt and bitterness from leaking into her voice. She looked up at him, at the way his face hardly moved. It was like when they'd first met, except a thousand times worse. The icy look in his eyes, his emotionless voice.

Troy glanced back at her one more time, taking in her soft curls, her slim figure hidden in her big sweatshirt, her innocent-looking features, and her big, dark eyes. He sighed, as betrayal and poison raced inside him. "So did I."

Gabriella's eyes filled with stinging tears as she watched him walk away, seeming slower and more tired than he used to be. He seemed to be dragging his feet, and his head was hung low. Gabriella pursed her lips, worry, pain, and curiosity raging through her. Something had happened to Troy, possibly because of her, and she was going to do everything she could to make it right again. She had to. She didn't realize it before, but now she knew how much his friendship with her had impacted her. The happiness she felt when she made that sad, blank look in his eyes go away, and he became the Troy that she knew, the one who smiled easily and made jokes and was funny, charming, and sweet. The one who called her "Ella" and was there for her when Matt wasn't. She wouldn't let him go so easily-she would bring him back.

* * *

><p>Chad was miserable. He couldn't believe his best friend had done that to him. Slept with his ex-girlfriend, and he flinched just thinking the thought, while he knew he was still in love with her. Chad sighed, glancing out the window at the manicured garden that Taylor kept so tidily. Why couldn't his life be kept in such a perfect condition? At times like this, he questioned whether Troy was lying. But why would he? Chad sighed again, closing his eyes. He had nowhere to live, no one to talk to, and he couldn't focus on anything…<p>

"Hey, you okay?" Taylor knocked on the door, quietly stepping into the guest room that Chad was currently occupying.

Chad looked up at her from where he was sitting near the window, his head slumped in his hands. "I'm…" Chad sighed. "I'm okay."

"I'm sorry about everything that's happening right now," Taylor murmured, sitting opposite Chad on the bed. "You don't deserve it. You deserve someone that loves you, Chad. You're sweet, funny, handsome, and an amazing person."

Chad snorted. "Kinda hard to find, seeing as both my best friend and the love of my life betrayed me."

Taylor sighed, inwardly wishing Chad would notice her once and for all. Was she that invisible? "Maybe you just need to open your eyes, Chad. I'm sure there are people around you who love you."

"Yeah, right," Chad rubbed his temples.

"You should try to look," Taylor insisted, fiddling with her hands in her lap.

"What's the point? There's no one out there for me, Tay. It was Sharpay. I love her. And no one is going to love someone like me." Chad groaned, upset at his own self-pity. "I'm sorry for being such a downer, Tay. Thanks for letting me stay here with you."

I LOVE YOU, Taylor whispered in her head. "No problem. Just try to be happy and look harder, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Chad muttered, but the only girl he could see was Sharpay. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Taylor stood up, glancing disappointedly at Chad.

"Well, it's something to thing about," she muttered, before kissing Chad on the cheek, quick as lightning, and before Chad even looked up in shock she was already out of the room. Taylor? Chad though to himself, no, it can't be… He was still immersed in his own thoughts when there was another knock at the door.

"Troy." Chad looked up, his eyes narrowing. "What are you doing here?'

"Chad, we should talk." Troy walked up to his best friend, noticing how Chad's eyes flickered with distrust, and Troy's heart ached inside. "We need to talk."

"About?" Chad snapped. "About how you slept with my ex-girlfriend? About what?"

Troy sighed, running a hand through his sandy blonde hair and shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his old blue sweatshirt. "About that, yes," he said, flinching. "But also about the newspapers."

* * *

><p><em>July Fourth<em>

_She's mad at me. I don't know why. It's killing me inside. She hasn't spoken to me in almost two days. It doesn't sound like a long time, but for some reason it has seemed like forever to me. I almost can't remember what life was like without her easy smile, her pretty dark eyes, and her soft voice, like that of an angel. I want to make whatever happened up to her a million times, but I just don't know how to. Chocolates? Flowers? A walk down the beach, again? She liked that corner café that we went to once…_

_Mother talked to me about Lucy, today. They don't like Maria, and it kills me. They think she's too much of a stranger, and plus she's from the north, only here for the summer. They think that Lucy is much better suited for me, and that I should go date Lucy instead. I have to meet Lucy tonight at the amusement park again. The amusement park…_

_Poor, poor Lucy. I'm going to have to break it off with her again tonight. It hurts me every time because I can see the pain of rejection in her light blue eyes, the way she hides her face behind her dark blonde hair. It hurts, but I love Maria. I can't help it. I know now what I'll do. I'll take her to the amusement park, and I'll take her to the top of the Ferris wheel and we'll watch the fireworks from there. It'll be perfect. She'll have to forgive me, then. _

Gabriella smiled softly as she read what Jack Bolton had written all those years ago, and all of a sudden, she was inspired.

"Hey Shar," she called to Sharpay, who was eating the banana bread that Zeke had just baked for her. "Isn't Troy's birthday soon?"

Sharpay nodded, her mouth full of steaming hot banana bread. "Yup, October 18th." Sharpay said, doing the quick math in her head. "Huh. Exactly two weeks from now."

Two weeks, Gabriella mentally slapped herself. Too long, she thought, for her plan to work out. She couldn't copy Jack Bolton after all. Gabriella swung her legs off the couch and stood up, glancing at her watch. "Hey Shar, I think I'm going to go to see Chad over at Taylor's. I'm writing this article," Gabriella glanced at the email from Gordon with her new assignment on her open computer, "and I need some facts about Troy's teenage life."

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "You sound like such a stalker, Gabs," she shoved another forkful of bread into her mouth. "By the way, how did the whole talking to Troy thing go?"

Gabriella rubbed her eyes tiredly. "I think he's mad at me or something. He was acting really weird."

Sharpay laughed, "Well Gabs, it's Troy Bolton. Are you going out with Matt again this Sunday?"

"Yeah," Gabriella nodded, smiled as she remembered how Matt had told her he'd have a surprise night awaiting her on their two-month anniversary of their first meeting. "It's a surprise."

"Well, use protection," Sharpay said drily as Gabriella picked up her bag and left. "Wouldn't want to get pregnant now."

When Gabriella arrived at Taylor's, she was surprised to find Taylor in an extremely good mood. "Tay, are you okay?" Gabriella laughed as Taylor hugged her tight and kissed her cheeks.

"I'm so happy, Gabriella," Taylor beamed. "I think that finally, finally, finally, that dumbass has had some sense knocked into him."

Gabriella smiled, "Oh, so Chad finally has an inkling that you have been in love with him for ages? That's great," Gabriella felt genuinely happy for her friend. "Hey, is he around—" Suddenly, Gabriella's eyes landed on something that made her heart race. She broke out into a cold sweat, and she immediately flinched back. Her breathing came in quick, sharp pants as she clutched onto Taylor's arm, her vision going blurry. It was impossible, utterly impossible. There was no way. Gabriella shut her eyes tight, but the memories came flooding back to her.

"_Hey sexy, how you doin'?" she heard someone say in the darkness. It could've been to her, to anyone, but Gabriella picked up her pace, already sweating after only a few minutes. She could barely hear anything over the heavy beat and she felt like she was suffocating from the mass of bodies and the hot air. _

"_Gabs, where are you going?" She turned her head, barely making out her skimpily dressed friend Sue in the flashing lights. "We're supposed to be having fun. We just got here!" _

"_I think I'm going to get some air… I'll meet you guys outside." Gabriella waved slightly before walking even faster towards the neon green EXIT sign. As soon as she was breathing fresh air again, she gasped and leaned against the cool wall of the building. She didn't want to be there. She would rather be at home studying and finishing off that article she had to write for the newspaper, but no, a bunch of her friends had decided that it would be a good idea to go clubbing because "after all, we're juniors now, and it's Friday!" _

_Gabriella took a deep breath, and started choking on the thick cigarette smoke that burned her lungs. She pushed herself off the wall and started off into an alleyway away from the heavily groping couples. She inched along in the moonlight in the stilettos that Sue had forced on her, before deciding to take the risk and take them off. She fingered the soft material of her conservative gray skirt and white tank top, her mind wandering as she wondered what it'd be like to live in a world where you went partying every weekend and were a regular at clubs like this, instead of staying at home, watching TV and working on schoolwork that wouldn't be due for another two weeks. _

_Suddenly, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps behind her and her heart started racing. In panic, she hid behind a dumpster, the dark shadow cast by the bright moon concealing her. She shut her eyes tight, trying to disappear and wondering why she ever let herself agree to this. But her fear slowly subsided as she was horrified to recognize the sounds coming from the people that had followed her. The footsteps slowed, and she heard the familiar sounds that people made when they sucked face. There was a slight bang, and Gabriella guessed that the boy had pinned the girl against the wall, something she'd seen many times in the hallways at school. Gabriella rolled her eyes, about to walk out of her hiding spot and find somewhere else to go. But suddenly, she froze. _

"_No, no, stop," she heard a quiet, trembling voice whisper. It was no doubt, the girl. "No, no, don't, please." _

"_Just relax," she heard the deep, heavy voice of a guy murmur. "Stop talking." _

"_No, please, I've never before…" Gabriella could hear the voice shaking, quivering. "Stop, stop!" _

"_Relax, it won't hurt." The male voice said huskily, and Gabriella heard the ripping of fabric. Gabriella's heart started racing, and her eyes widened in fear. She didn't know what to do. Was she supposed to show herself and fight the boy? She knew she should intervene, but she felt like she was glued to the wall. She could hear the heavy panting of the boy and the soft cries of protest from the girl. _

"_No, stop it! STOP!" The girl cried out, and there was a moment of struggle. "Help! STOP! He's going to… he's going to…" By now, Gabriella could tell the girl was drunk as well, her words slurring together. Be strong, Gabriella, she thought to herself. Go help that girl. Don't be a coward. _

"_Shut up or I'll strangle you," the boy slurred, and immediately what was left of the strength in Gabriella disappeared. "I swear I will. You tempted me. So stop being a tease." _

"_No, no, no," the girl was crying now. "Don't…" There was more ripping fabric, and suddenly, the girl gave a horrible screech that ripped through the air. Gabriella's palms sweated, her heart raced in her chest and she couldn't move. She could barely breathe. She was too late to do anything. She could hear his grunts and moans of pleasure, but the sounds of the girls crying and soft whispers of protest seemed so much louder. Gabriella was filled with horror, disgust, and shame, and she couldn't take it any more. She forced her limbs to move as tears rolled down her own cheeks. The sounds from both parties grew louder and louder, and Gabriella made a snapshot decision to run past them, straight for the club. She braced herself, begging for the boy to be facing the wall and too distracted to do notice her. She took a deep breath, and ran. _

_She hadn't planned on looking. She guessed it would be too dark to see much, thank God, and she was right. But as she went around the dumpster and passed the couple, her eyes flickered over unconsciously. It was dark, but a sliver of moonlight seemed to land on them. In that split second, she saw the tear-streaked cheeks of a blonde girl possibly a year younger than her, her head thrown against the wall and her eyes squeezed shut. She saw the figure of the boy, tall and muscular, probably more than a head taller than Gabriella herself. She couldn't make out much, not his hair color or his skin color, but she saw his jacket. An electric blue that stood out even in the dark and seemed to glow. On the back, she clearly saw it. The numbers that shone a pure white in the dark. They seemed hand-painted on with neon paint or something, and underneath them was a ball, the color too dark to really make out. _

_Then, Gabriella whipped her head around and ran back to the club filled with guilt and horror, but not realizing that she'd be haunted by that scene for the rest of her life. _

Gabriella opened her eyes, but it was still there. There was no mistaking it. That bright, bright blue, and hand-painted 14. Gabriella ignored Taylor, who was staring at her curiously and saying something that Gabriella couldn't hear, and she walked slowly towards the sweatshirt. She reached a hand out, about to touch it, but she couldn't. As she looked closer, she realized the ball was in fact a basketball. She inhaled in horror, her eyes wide.

"Taylor. Whose jacket is this?" Gabriella whispered hoarsely.

"Um, I think it's Chad's?" Taylor replied, confused. "Gabs, are you okay? You look kind of pale…"

Gabriella was more than pale. Her head was spinning, and her heart was pounding in her chest. Chad? No. Impossible. Sweet, funny, kind, Chad? He was like her brother, he couldn't have raped that girl. He couldn't have. It was impossible. But the evidence was right there, staring her in the face, as if challenging her. She was the reporter, she was the one that dug up secrets. She should be used to stuff like this, but she couldn't breathe.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Gabriella jumped almost a foot high into the air. "Oh, hey Gabs," Chad said casually, dropping his keys on the kitchen table. Gabriella stared at him in horror, at his bushy hair, his smiling eyes, and his innocent expression. No, she thought to herself. Chad was the rapist?

"Um, Chad," Gabriella struggled to speak. "Is that… is that…" Her words got caught in her throat, something that had never happened to her before. Gabriella's head spun.

"Gabs, what's wrong?" Chad glanced at Taylor, worried about his extremely pale and trembling friend. "Are you okay?"

"Hey, sorry…" Gabriella spun around to see Troy standing in the doorway. He looked at her, and his eyebrows knit together with confusion before his face went blank again.

"I thought you were going home," Chad said, going over to take Gabriella's hand.

"Yeah," Troy nodded, walking past them. "I forgot my jacket. Bye."

He grabbed the blue sweatshirt before leaving. Gabriella closed her eyes.

_Troy Bolton. _

**A/N: Hey! So, what do you think? Dark? Expected? Unexpected? Who knew Troy was a rapist, huh. What do you think will happen now? Tell me what you think! **

**So, I hurried this chapter up and posted it as soon as I could, because one: I have an exam next week and I need to study instead of thinking about Troy and Gabriella; two: I wanted to let you guys know that I have a poll going on now about the fate of a few characters. What do you guys think of the relationship between Chad, Sharpay, and Taylor? I'll base what happens in the end off the response I get, so check out my profile and vote! **

**Lots of thanks to my best friend Sue for this chapter, she has really helped me a lot with the organizing of the plot for this story. Did you like it? Also, I'm going to start a new story on the side, kind of just for fun, so be sure to check it out! It'll have the Troyella fluff that this story currently lacks. But don't worry, Fire and Ice is still my priority and I can't wait to share the rest with you guys! **

**So remember, reviews equal love! How did you guys like this chapter? **

**Lots of love, **

**Lexi. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

**CHAPTER TEN**

Gabriella's fingered hovered over the worn down keys of her keyboard, but she felt like there was an invisible block between her tired fingers and the familiar letters. She was unbelievably frustrated. She'd put this off for days. She'd cleaned the living room already, making sure that everything was neat and tidy before she finally sat herself down on the couch. She was wearing her favorite pair of sweats, and her hair was tied back and out of her face in a messy bun, a steaming cup of tea sitting beside her on the couch, and the floor and coffeetable in front of her stacked with cutouts of Troy articles from recent newspapers. Her binder was open on her left, copies of each and every one of the articles she'd written carefully squeezed inside it bursting cover. She was prepared to write this article, one of the most important ones that Mr. Lancaster had assigned her, and Gordon had said that if she wrote it well it might even go on the front page of Entertainment, excerpts on the front page. She sighed. This was the chance she'd been waiting for her entire life, but all of a sudden her mind was fuzzy, and she couldn't get a single word out, something that hadn't happened to her, ever. Her mind swirled with the image of that blue sweatshirt, and dark flashes of that poor girl's tear-streaked face in the silvery moonlight. Her ears rang with the girl's horrified whimpers, and Gabriella felt overwhelmed by disgust and guilt. She'd long ago locked up that memory in the deep recesses of her brain, drowning herself in studying, but now it had escaped and was flying freely in her mind.

After almost five hours of frustrated staring at that maddeningly blank Word document, Gabriella slammed her laptop shut, tears in her eyes. She was a writer, not just some paparazzi dishing on the latest gossip. She took her work incredibly seriously, and she could only write about, _defend_, someone she believed was worth defending. The Troy that she thought she'd known was worth defending. The way he was close to his parents, the way he was caring and sweet, the way he could read people, the way he was devoted to his career and to his friends, the way he was funny and nice and warm under his cold exterior… That was all worth it. It was worth the cramped fingers, the bloodshot eyes, and the sleepless nights. He was worth it. But now, she realized, that everything she'd known was unreal, possibly another layer hiding whom he really was deep down. Was everything just a cover for him? First there was that hard, icy shell, then the kind, caring layer wrapping up his true self. Who was the real Troy Bolton? Gabriella realized that she would never know, and she probably did not even want to know.

Gabriella stood up, stretched, and glanced at the clock. It was just past 2 am, and Gabriella knew that there was no way she would be able to fall asleep now. She slipped on her flipflops and a jean jacket over, stuffing her binder and laptop into her bag. Maybe while on a walk through the park would help inspiration strike. She walked quietly through the empty streets, heading to the park that she often went to for runs and cut through on her way to work. She took in the familiar landscape, the trees that had turned golden and were already half bare. After almost two months in LA, Gabriella still couldn't get over the beauty she found in this modern city. Suddenly, she heard a loud crackle behind her, breaking the silence, and she whirled around. She spotted a familiar figure in the glow of the streetlamp, and she inhaled sharply as she clutched her jacket closer to her and her eyes narrowed. Blue eyes met hers, and she realized he looked just as surprised to see her as she probably did. She mashed her lips together, waiting for him to speak first.

"Gabriella," Troy said quietly, his eyes downcast, his voice smooth and even. "How…" he trailed off, obviously posing this as a question.

"How, what, Troy?" Gabriella snapped. She was angry, unbelievably angry.

"How did you know?" He whispered. She tried to read him, but he was closed off, his walls up all around him. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans, and he seemed shrunken and small in his sweatshirt. Gabriella all her feelings of sympathy and concern away, reminding herself that Troy had raped someone. Raped.

"Does it matter?" Gabriella raised her eyebrows and Troy looked up. "You know what you did, I know what you did, and it disgusts me," Gabriella broke away from his gaze.

"I guess the whole world will know, too," Troy said bitterly.

"What do you mean," Gabriella demanded, confused. Troy stared at her, his eyes icy and cold, and Gabriella wanted to flinch back from the betrayal and accusation in them.

"I know what you did, too, Gabriella," Troy shot, his words like daggers. "Don't pretend you're so innocent. I know you wrote all of those articles in the newspapers. Don't even try to deny it. I know. Ever since the first day, I knew you were judgmental. I thought later on that I'd been wrong, but obviously my first instinct was right. I was right about you—you're judgmental, fake, and you only care about your work."

"What are you—" Gabriella suddenly gasped sharply, her eyes narrowing as anger ran through her veins. She glared at him, his face lit under the moonlight, unlike that night all those years ago. "You think I wrote those articles? You honestly think that? How can you think that? I thought we were friends, Troy. Why in the world would I write those horrible articles, huh, Troy? I cared about you! I was always there for you, all those hours we spent together running errands and talking… You honestly think I was faking it?" Gabriella's voice rose as her eyes filled with furious tears.

"Beats me, Gabriella. You're the journalist, I'll leave the snooping around to you," Troy shot back, each word like shards of ice.

Gabriella threw up her hands and she stepped closer to Troy. "_I cannot believe you,_" she hissed. "You are such a hypocrite. You think that I am judgmental? Seriously? Well newsflash Troy—you're wrong. You're wrong about everything. The binder I kept about you was for personal reference, yeah. I wrote articles about you. Yes, they appear in the newspaper. But guess what? I'm the one _defending _you, Troy. Yes! Oh, my God!" Gabriella screeched, her voice piercing the silent night. 'Ever since that first article came up about you breaking down and throwing ice cream, I've been there to help you. _I have always been here for you, Troy. _But you know what else? And yes, there is more. I'm done. I'm not going to do this for you any more, Troy. I am not going to write about you ever again. Are you happy now? Does this make you feel any better? I can't write about someone that I don't trust. I can't defend someone that I don't find worth even defending. I can't lie to the world and tell everyone how amazing you are, Troy, when I don't even believe it myself. Even in the beginning, I never hated you. I thought you were an asshole and a player, yes, but I guess I always believed there was more to you than that. Well, surprise, surprise, Troy Bolton is a rapist." Gabriella seethed, spitting out her words. "But I would _never_ do that to anyone, Troy. I would never write about that just to spite you. And lucky for you, I'm through anyways. I'll leave the Times. I'll go find a job somewhere else, where you'll never have to have an article written by me, ever again." Gabriella took a deep breath, the tears already threatening to spill out of the corners of her eyes. She turned on her heel, ready to leave, once and for all.

Troy caught her arm, his eyes wide, his mouth opened to say something. But no words came. Gabriella looked him in the eye for those two minutes in which she waited for him to say something, anything, but he didn't. Fiery brown met icy blue, and she turned away, disgusted. She reached into her bag and pulled out her binder, the TROY written on top of it smudged and faded.

"Here," she stuffed the overflowing binder into his arms, pushing his hand off her elbow. "Take it. I don't want any of it. Goodbye, Troy." Tears streamed down her cheeks, but her voice was steady. Without looking at him again, she turned around and walked away, leaving Troy standing in the deserted park, alone.

For the rest of the week, Troy was holed up in his apartment, again. But this time, his brain was active and he was mentally hitting himself for being so blind and stupid. After Gabriella had yelled at him, which was on Wednesday morning, he'd come home and opened the binder. He didn't want to believe what she'd said, he didn't want to believe that he'd been so wrong, so far from the truth, but everything rang true. With shaking fingers he'd opened the worn out binders, and he was faced with page after page of her small, neat handwriting. He read each carefully printed word with great attention, his own life story being told back to him in her gentle, beautiful language. He spent almost 12 hours straight reading and rereading her notes, before moving on to the articles that she'd written. In his hands he held a surprisingly thick stack, and as he devoured each sentence that she'd written his eyes got wetter and a bitter feeling lodged itself in his heart. He wanted to puke, because her words were so touching and beautiful, because what she'd written was so untrue, judging by the way he'd treated her.

Gabriella. Beautiful, kind, smart Gabriella. Was it possible to go from hating someone to loving them within 24 hours? But he knew it was true: he loved her. The way her eyebrows knit together that first time they'd met and she couldn't read him. The way her smile lit up the entire room. The way her voice seemed like silk, her words articulate and precise. The way her personality was so fiery, never a moment with her boring or dull. The way her hand felt against his forehead, he remembered now, when she'd nursed him that first time she'd gone to his house. The way she laughed at his lame jokes, like the sound of tinkling bells at Christmas. The way she had looked so beautiful when she'd gone out on that first date with the bartender, but had looked even more breathtaking with her hair rolling about her shoulders and her petite body covered in shorts and a t-shirt. The way her hair curled and glowed a dark, chestnut brown. The way she looked at you, like she could see right through you and into your deepest, darkest secrets. The way she was so serious about her work. The way she fidgeted constantly, with her clothes, with anything within reach. The way her eyes glowed, like embers from the warmest fire on the coldest winter day.

Troy stood up. He was determined to find Gabriella, to tell her that he loved her, and to apologize. He needed to start telling everyone the truth, including Chad and Gabriella. But by Sunday night, he'd failed. He'd searched everywhere for them, but he never seemed to bump into either Chad or Gabriella. They were both busier than ever, and he felt himself growing more and more impatient. He'd already contacted Coach Andersen about going back to practice on Monday, so Chad was settled. But he had yet to see Gabriella. Sunday night, he decided to finally go to Sharpay's and just wait for her.

That same night, Gabriella got ready for her date with Matt. She'd spent the day out with Sharpay and Taylor, preparing herself. Her hair was blown out, her makeup done, and she was wearing a new, flowing white dress that barely reached her thighs and dipped down low in front. Sharpay had picked it out for her and forced it out her, stating, "It is perfect. It shows off your boobs and your legs. Wear it or I will kick you out." An hour before Matt was due to arrive, Gabriella sat at the desk in her room, a pen hovering above a blank piece of paper. She was all ready to go, but she felt like she had to take care of something first. One last thing, and then she would get final closure and be able to move on from the mess that was her life. Soon, she'd be able to start fresh… Gabriella took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. Goodbye, New York Times, she said quietly as she released her childhood dream.

_Dear Mr. Lancaster,_

_Thank you for everything that you have done for me, but I am sorry to tell you that I cannot continue to write and support Mr. Bolton any longer…_

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Gabriella clutched her finished note and brought it out into the hall.

"Gabriella, Matt's here!" she heard Sharpay call. Gabriella smiled, quickly putting the letter on the kitchen counter and running around, trying to find her purse. When she finally located it, she rushed out the door, kissing Sharpay on the cheek as she appeared at the door. Matt looked unbelievably handsome in a black tuxedo, his hair carefully slicked back, and a bouquet of fresh roses in his hand. Gabriella smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and gave her a deep, movie-style kiss.

"Ugh, I'm going to barf all over you guys," Sharpay muttered. She still disliked Matt and his showy, touch-feely ways, but she suppressed her opinions for the sake of her friend. "Don't be back too late," she called out as Gabriella laughed and the two of them waved at her as they drove off in Matt's Porsche. Sharpay suddenly realized that he seemed extremely rich and able to afford fancy places and cars and clothes for a bartender… She shrugged the thought off, and went to help Zeke bake a cake in the kitchen.

Less than a minute later, the doorbell rang and Sharpay groaned. "Probably Gabs. She must've forgotten her phone or something," Sharpay grumbled as she opened the door. Instead, she was greeted by a familiar basketball player.

"Gabriella?" Troy panted, having run all the way from his apartment.

Sharpay sighed. "Missed her by 30 seconds. She's on a date with Matt. It's their 2-month anniversary."

Troy groaned. "Dammit," he muttered.

Sharpay looked at him sympathetically. "Haven't we done this before?" she asked, remembering the time he'd come for Gabriella.

"Yeah," Troy smiled weakly. "I'm here for a different reason though," he sighed, running a hand through his messy blonde hair.

"Right," Sharpay nodded, leading him through the house and to the kitchen. "You love her."

"So, do I get to know where we're going, Mr. Romantic?" Gabriella giggled, thirty minutes later, resting her head on Matt's shoulders. Matt laughed.

"Now where would the romance be in that?" Matt rubbed circles on Gabriella's bare thigh, making her sigh in both pleasure and exasperation. They'd had the talk already, Gabriella took sex extremely seriously. Since then, he'd lightened up a little, but still he kept on throwing hints at her. However, Gabriella decided to ignore that. Suddenly, he screeched to a stop, and Gabriella glanced out the window. It was a stretch of deserted beach, and as the sun set on the horizon, everything was basked in a golden-pink light. Gabriella gasped, her heart fluttering.

"It's beautiful," she breathed. The ocean sparkled like millions of diamonds, the sand glowed, the sky was a rainbow of warm colors, and she spotted a picnic basket on the sand. "Beautiful."

"Happy anniversary, Gabriella," Matt smiled, opening the door for her and leading her onto the sand. She slipped off her high heels as he took off his own shoes and they walked barefoot on the warm sand, his arm holding her tightly to his side. Gabriella smiled, a giddy feeling inside her.

"Happy anniversary, Matt," she laughed. "God, that makes me feel so old."

Matt chuckled. "You are old," he said as the sat together on the picnic blanket. "Tell me something, old lady, that you've never told anyone else." Matt whispered into her ear as they watched the setting sun. He kissed her neck, right behind her ear, and Gabriella moaned quietly.

"Wait," she managed to choke out. She grabbed the bottle of wine sitting beside her and put it in his lap. "Eat, first." She smiled, expertly disentangling herself from him. "What's on the menu?"

Matt looked slightly disappointed, but he shook it off with a grin. "Everything, love. Everything."

Before Gabriella knew it, they'd finished the entire picnic basket, which included salad, soup, her favorite pasta and his favorite steak, fruit, dessert, and the entire bottle of wine. Gabriella's head spun slightly from all the wine and the food, and she felt like she was going to burst with content. They'd spent the night like they always did, talking and laughing, and Gabriella was happy. They were lying together on the blanket, his arm around her shoulders, their hands interlaced as they gazed at the stars together.

"Tell me a secret," Matt murmured, turning over and hugging her to him, his hands roaming all over her body.

Gabriella sighed with pleasure. "What kind of secret?" she asked, her head foggy.

"Any kind," Matt whispered, his breath hot against Gabriella's neck, leaving goosebumps along her skin.

"I'm going to quite my job at the LA Times," Gabriella said thoughtfully. "Can't write about Troy anymore. Your turn," she closed her eyes as his hands slid up her thigh.

"I love you," he murmured, suddenly on top of her, pinning her to the ground.

"Uh, you too," Gabriella was hardly aware of what she was saying. All she could feel was the burning sensation inside her as Matt started to unbutton her dress. Somewhere deep down she knew something wrong was happening, but the wine was messing with her head.

"I wrote articles about Troy, too," he smiled, and Gabriella saw a strange glint in his eyes.

"Huh?" Gabriella tried to lift her head, but Matt leaned down and kissed her, pushing her back down into the sand. His body was completely against hers, and she could feel him pressing down against her stomach.

"Your turn," Matt whispered, he slipped the straps of Gabriella's dress down, past her shoulders. Gabriella's eyes shot open, and she started to struggle.

"I don't want to do this," Gabriella said, too loudly, trying to gain control of herself. "Stop, Matt. Stop." She panted, but it was too late. He'd somehow managed to get her straps all the way down, exposing her to the world. "Stop," she cried weakly as he suddenly pinned her arms above her head with incredible strength.

"You want to know my secret, Gabriella?" Matt whispered roughly, his breathing uneven. "I'm tired of waiting." He shoved her dress up so it was bunched around her midsection. Gabriella tried to cry out, but he silenced her by pressing down even harder on her wrists. He reached over, grabbed a napkin, and gagged her. "Sorry babe," he smiled. With one hand, he undid his belt and slipped his pants down, at the same time hooking a finger under the waist of her panties and quickly sliding them down. He leaned in close to her, his green eyes burning into hers. Gabriella tried to struggle, but it was no use. He pinned her down, and she couldn't move.

"Last secret Gabriella: I'm going to fuck you now."

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm really sorry about the late update, I've been pretty busy lately. Sorry about that! But I hope you guys liked this chapter… Or at least find it interesting enough. Comments? Questions? I personally think that this chapter was pretty dark and it was extremely depressing to write. So, Matt is a bad guy after all. And Troy finally realizes that he loves her. What do you think Gabriella will do? And I didn't really mention it in this chapter, but things with Chad, Sharpay, Zeke, and Taylor are about to get pretty complicated…. So if you haven't checked out my profile and voted you please do so! Your votes affect the final outcome of this story!**

**Anyways, I'm sorry if I don't make any sense, it's past midnight here and I'm exhausted. Please, please, please, tell me what you guys think! Thank you so much to the people who have reviewed, especially those of you who have been here since the beginning. All of your reviews make me smile and make staying up all night worth it. Thank you for your feedback! So remember to leave your comments! I really hope you guys liked this one. I'll be updating soon!**

**Lots of love,**

**Lexi**


	11. Chapter 11

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

Gabriella leaned against a streetlamp, her shoulders heaving with sobs. Her calves burned from the way she'd sprinted away from the beach, away from his car, away from him. Her teeth hurt from ripping the napkins that he'd tied around her wrists. Tears dripped steadily down her cheeks onto her collarbone, and she wrapped her arms around herself, gasping for breath. Her beautiful white dress, the same one that had made her feel like a Greek goddess or Marilyn Monroe just a few hours earlier, was torn and sandy, whipped around her in the wind and she caught sight of a few dark scarlet drops of blood. Her sobs caught in her throat, and she felt like she couldn't breathe from the hatred, anger, resentment, and pure terror raging inside her. She hated him for doing this to her. He hated him with a burning passion, her insides twisting and her breath shortening just at the thought of those cruel green eyes. She was disgusted and regretful that she didn't stop it earlier. She hated herself for being so stupid, so incredibly stupid. She grabbed onto the lamppost as she spun around and heaved, puking out the dinner she'd eaten. Even after she was finished, her stomach clenched and heaved and her throat burned. As she turned around again, a few cars whizzed past her, sweeping up dust and she realized she was stranded in an unfamiliar town with no way to get home.

She closed her eyes, tilting her head back. Matt had only gone to the nearby convenience store to "get some supplies", by which she deduced meant more condoms, and had left her gagged and tied on the beach. With blurry eyes she glanced at her purple wrists. Matt would not be happy to find the napkins he'd used to tie her up broken in pieces… She sighed, fear and a burning hatred overwhelming her. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, and all she wanted to do was curl up in a corner and never see anyone, ever again. A few more cars whizzed by, and she pulled herself together. She had to be strong.

"Help," she whispered, stepping onto the road, tears dripping down her cheeks, her bare feet stinging from the sharp gravel, her hair and tattered dress whipping around her in the unforgiving wind. "Help."

Troy had almost given up and gone home. He'd been waiting for hours, trying not to barf while Sharpay and Zeke cuddled together and made baby noises. Zeke sure had been spending a lot of time with Sharpay, Troy thought to himself. He'd studied them all night, being cute and romantic together, having fun doing the simplest things like playing Connect Four and baking brownies. Now, finally after Zeke had gone home and Sharpay had bid him goodnight, he felt more alone than ever in the silent mansion. Troy sighed, leaning his head back on the couch. Would he ever have the kind of love that Zeke and Sharpay had, the kind that movies and books and songs revolve around? Especially after what he'd done? He hated himself for what had happened that night. He'd never forgiven himself, and he'd never looked at sex the same again. There was so much that he had to explain to her… Nothing would justify what he had done, but he needed to tell her. He'd had his whole speech planned out…

Suddenly, his eyes lighted upon a piece of paper on the kitchen counter, and he immediately recognized the familiar neat, carefully printed handwriting. He reached over and took it, hesitating slightly before reading it. His eyes widened as he quickly skimmed the letter, and he froze. This couldn't be true. Gabriella couldn't have really meant what she'd said that night—he thought she'd only been saying that. He thought she was way too serious about her work and her dreams to just throw everything away like that. Suddenly, his hatred for himself was even greater than before, something he felt that was impossible. He stood up, letting the letter flutter out of his hands. He didn't deserve her. She was beautiful, strong, smart, and kind; and he was cold, faulted, judgmental, hypocritical, and she deserved someone a thousand times better than her. Someone to hold her when she cried, instead of making her cry. Someone to understand her and read her every emotion, instead of blindly lashing out and making up ideas. Someone who was kind and true and had nothing to hide, instead of a dark past enveloped in hurt. Troy walked shakily to the front door. He put his hand on the doorknob, his head bowed down in shame and resentment.

As he slowly twisted the doorknob and opened the door, a familiar dark-haired beauty fell into his arms, her entire body shaking with sobs.

"Gabriella?" Troy sucked in a breath, his blue eyes wide. Gabriella was disoriented and disheveled, her curly hair in tangles and her dress in pieces. She was crying, long, heaving cries, and he automatically swooped her into his arms, holding her tightly to his chest. He felt a strange sense of déjà vu before pushing the feeling away and carrying her into her room. His heart broke at the sight of her, so small and fragile, shivering and shaking in her bed. His eyes flickered to the dark bruises stretching across her tan skin, the purplish-red welts along her wrists and ankles, and he felt overcome with rage. He wanted to go and kill that son of a bitch, give him a good, painful death, but one more look at the shaking girl in his arms and he knew that wasn't important right now. "Oh, Gabriella," he murmured, wrapping her tighter. "What did he do to you?"

"He…" Gabriella gasped for breath. "He raped me. He tied me up and raped me Troy." She looked at him with red eyes, her eyelashes wet, stuck together in little triangles. "Raped me," she murmured, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Like you did to that girl." She started crying even harder, and ducked her head down onto his shoulder. He felt her tears soaking into his shirt, and he closed his eyes. He'd never felt so many emotions boiling inside him at once. Regret, for getting drunk and letting his animal instincts take over that one night all those years ago. Hatred, for himself, for Matt, for hurting the least deserving person in the world. Sadness, for the cruel world they were a part of. Love, for the girl crying in his arms, beautiful even with her dress torn, beautiful with her makeup running down her face, beautiful inside and outside.

"I know," he whispered, his eyes red and rimming with tears. "I know." He waited for her to push him away, for her to yell and scream at him for being a rapist, for being a heartless excuse of a man. He wanted her to; he deserved it. But she was silent except for her hiccupping sobs.

"Tell me what happened," she murmured so quietly Troy had to strain his ears to hear. "All those years ago. Tell me."

Troy sighed, smoothing a hand over her dark curls as she pressed her face into his neck, her warm breath uneven, her chest pressing against his as she struggled for breath. He could feel the quick, drumming beat of her heart against his, and he pulled her tighter into him.

"My friends dragged me to that bar that night, just like you. I wasn't popular in high school. I was a wallflower, a nerd, barely noticed, only recognized for being on the basketball team. I had my two friends, and I was content. That night, they decided we needed fun in our lives, instead of either playing basketball or video games. They were also trying to cheer me up, as my girlfriend Sarah had just broken up with me. "So I got drunk, extremely drunk, to the point where I couldn't see properly and I didn't even know what I was doing. I was drunk, depressed, and lonely, as my friends were long gone screwing some random girls they'd met.  
>That's when she came up and started talking to me. She looked about a year younger than me, and was pretty, short and cute, just like my girlfriend was. She reminded me so much of my girlfriend, that I can remember calling her Sarah multiple times. She kept on coming closer to me, her hands brushing my hair, her lips so close to my face, teasing me. It was hot and stuffy, so she suggested we go out for a walk. She dragged me out the back door, and then she kissed me, her hands running under my shirt and undoing my belt. But as soon as things started to get serious, she pulled away, laughing. 'Gotcha,' she laughed. I'll always remember that laugh—it was more like a cackle, like a witch standing over the girl she'd poisoned. In that moonlight, her blonde hair glowed silver, and I was suddenly convinced that this was Sarah, come out to get revenge on me.<br>"It was stupid, I know. I was an idiot, a jackass, every bad word you can come up with. I regret everything I did that night, and I remember everything as clearly as if it had happened only minutes ago. I can still smell her perfume, and her voice haunts me at night. I was so drunk that if I hadn't been so scarred this would've faded away into a blurry memory years ago. But it changed me. I regret it more than anything, and she has always haunted me in my dreams. It changed the way I see life, the way I see sex, the way I see everything. Especially what happened after.  
>I regret raping that girl, and I hate even thinking that thought. But I did, and after that, she called me and told me she was pregnant. I remember passing out, and my dad having to pour cold water on my head. Her name was Grace Walker, and she was convinced that I was the father of her baby. I was horrified. My life was falling apart around me, and the only person I told was my father. He encouraged me to get a paternity test, and so I told her that I wanted to. But before I could… She had a miscarriage, and the baby was gone. After that, I never saw her again. But she's always in the back of my mind, what happened that night always waiting to pounce, waiting to remind me that I'm not perfect. That I have scars deeper and darker than anyone else.<br>"I regret it, Gabriella. And I am unbelievably sorry that you have to go through this," Troy took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He looked down at Gabriella, whose face was finally relaxed, her breathing finally even. Troy sighed again, carefully disentangling himself from her. His heart ached, like it hadn't ached since his father had died, and he carefully tucked her into the bed. He ran a hand along her cheek, brushing her damp her out of her face. As he stood up, he suddenly felt a small hand cover his.

"Stay," he heard Gabriella whisper faintly.

Troy looked down at her, her dark hair fanned out across the pillows, her cheeks tear-stained. He felt a pull towards her, like a magnetic force, and he wrapped his arms around her. She settled into him, and they fit together perfectly, like puzzle pieces. Troy sighed, closing his eyes. Her breathing became deep and even, her heartbeat even. "I love you," he whispered into her hair.

He swore he heard four faint words, almost imperceptible, like the breath of an angel. "I love you too."

The next morning, Gabriella awoke to the feeling of warm sunshine on her face and a pair of strong, muscular arms around her. She opened her eyes slowly. She'd had the most horrible nightmare, about Matt and the beach and wine and being gagged and pain, unbelievable, unbearable pain… But as she looked at Troy's sleeping face, her destroyed dress, and felt the aching pain between her legs, she sighed. It wasn't a dream, it was reality, something that you can never escape from, no matter how hard you try. The fact was she'd been raped, losing her virginity to some lying asshole, and then she'd come home and straight into the arms of… Troy, the rapist? She didn't dare breathe, and she closed her eyes tight. She had two choices; the first was to rush out of the bed screaming, to leave LA and her life and her friends and try to forget everything that had happened to her in these few months, and the second was to understand what had happened with Troy that night, to forgive him, to stay in his arms and with her friends, and to accept everything that had happened to her. The coward in her wanted to run away, to lock herself in a steel box and just hide from the world, but she knew that that was impossible. There was no way she could take back what happened, there was no way she was going to forget anything. She'd been hurt, both physically and emotionally, but she would move on. She had to. She opened her eyes slowly, gazing at Troy's sleeping face before her. Basking in the warm, golden sunshine, he seemed to glow, like an angel. In his sleep, he looked so peaceful, so content, his lips curling up in a gentle smile, like he was having a good dream. His cold, hard wall was gone, and she remembered the first time she'd seen him like this, that first night when she'd stayed and looked after him, that first night when she'd written the first article about him, that first night when he'd let down his walls for her. She shifted slightly, lifting a hand to caress his forehead, to smooth his golden hair away from his forehead, the same gesture she'd made what seemed like lifetimes ago. He pulled her closer to him, and his eyes slowly opened, his cerulean blue eyes meeting her chocolate ones.

"Why did you stay, Troy?" Gabriella asked quietly. She had to make sure she was making the right choice. She had to be absolutely positive. Flashes of her own experience and what she'd witnessed junior year flickered in her mind as she felt Troy tighten his grip around her, as she looked him straight in the eye. She felt a flutter of fear and queasiness, but she steadied herself. Troy had changed. He wasn't Matt.

"It just felt right," Troy murmured, leaning his forehead against hers. Gabriella was suddenly transported back in time to when he'd asked that same questions, and she'd said those exact same words. She smiled, a real, genuine smile, and she closed her eyes. She relaxed into Troy's arms, her head resting on his chest, and he tucked her under his chin, cradling her close to him. Troy grinned as a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. He grinned like he hadn't in what seemed like years, as his past was out in the open, forgiven, and he held the girl he loved in his arms. All of a sudden, the gaping hole that his father had left in his heart wasn't filled, but was softened slightly. He was happy, because of her. Because of her, the beautiful, kind, smart, fiery Gabriella Montez, he was complete.

"I'm sorry, Gabriella," he whispered. "I'm sorry about everything." About being a rapist, about her being raped, about blowing up at her, about judging her…

"It's okay, Troy," Gabriella breathed quietly against his neck. "You don't have anything to be sorry about. We're only human, after all."

"I wish…" Troy sighed. "I wish I could redo everything, take everything back."

Gabriella shook her head and looked up at him, pulling back slightly. "No. This is just the way we are, Troy. We'll always be like this, fighting and judging and misunderstanding each other. We'll always have disagreements and arguments. But that's just the way things are. We're both so similar, both so extreme. We're like fire and ice, Troy, on opposite sides of the spectrum. But that just makes things all the more interesting, all the more passionate. If we were both perfect, we would never love each other like we do now, just because." As Gabriella said the words, she realized the ultimate truth behind them. Just a day before she was Matt's girlfriend, she hated Troy, and she believed she loved Matt. But now, everything was clear. All along, though all the arguments and the blowing up and the hatred, it'd been Troy that she'd loved, from the very beginning. She loved his composure, his mysteriousness, his humor, his strength, and his big heart. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"'I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You

I do not love you except because I love you;

I go from loving to not loving you,

From waiting to not waiting for you

My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it's you the one I love;

I hate you deeply, and hating you

Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you

Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume

My heart with its cruel

Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who

Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,

Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.'" Troy closed his eyes and smiled as Gabriella curled into his body, and they fell back asleep.

Sharpay glanced up from her pregnancy book as she heard a knock at the door. It was 6am on Monday morning, and it was way too early for anyone to be here, and on a weekday nonetheless. She put her book down, and opened the door curiously. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw both Zeke and Chad at the door.

"What's going on?" Sharpay bit her lip, looking between the two men standing in front of her. Zeke reached for both her hands while Chad scowled, stomping after them into the living room. "What's wrong?" Sharpay asked again as Zeke sat her down on the couch. Chad leaned against the wall as Zeke started pacing in front of her.

"Babe," Zeke began as Chad rolled his eyes. "I got a promotion."

"That's great," Sharpay said, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "That's good news… right?"

Zeke rubbed his temples, closing his eyes. "A bakery wants me to be their head chef… In Paris."

"Paris… France?" Sharpay asked, her voice trembling as she unconsciously cupped her hands around her stomach. Her eyes flickered towards Chad.

"I told him already," Zeke said, glancing at his scowling friend. "But the thing is, I need to know for sure that this baby is mine, Shar. If it is, I'll stay here and be with you and the kid, and we'll be a family together. But if it isn't… Paris is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Shar. I love you… But this is important to me." Zeke sat down next to Sharpay.

"I'm not important enough for you?" Sharpay pursed her lips together, her eyes tearing up. "I'm sure that the baby is yours…" her voice faltered as she remembered the night she and Chad had spent together. Again, her eyes flickered up to Chad's pained expression.

"I need to be sure," Zeke repeated, taking Sharpay's hands. "Positive."

Sharpay sighed. "Okay. We can go get a parental test now."

**A/N: Hey there. So I'm truly sorry about the late update, but I've been busy lately and this chapter was really depressing to write at first, especially since I write mostly at night. I hope you guys like it though! Tell me what you think, about Matt raping Gabriella and Troy and Gabriella finally, **_**finally**_**, getting together. Good? Bad? And I know this last part was a bit random but what do you guys think? Will the baby be Zeke's or Chad's? If you haven't voted yet, please do so, as in the next chapter we'll see the results! This is extremely important so please, please vote! **

**Anyways, I really hope you guys liked this one. Troyella at last. The poem was "I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You" by Pablo Neruda, and I thought it was extremely fitting and cute. What did you think? Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the reviews! They really make my day and I would never have gotten this far without you guys. So thank you, truly and deeply from the bottom of my heart. **

**As I have exams coming up, again, I will not be able to update until later this week. I'm really sorry. This story is coming to an end and I am really happy to have gotten this far. So remember, reviews equal love, and I'll try to post as soon as I can! **

**Lots of love,**

**Lexi**


	12. Chapter 12

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

Gabriella woke up sore, cold, and empty, to the sound of pattering rain outside her window. With sleepy eyes she sat up, lightheaded, and rubbed her temples while taking deep breaths as last night's memories came flashing back. That beautiful sunset, too many glasses of wine, Matt's angry hands, the sour taste of the napkin gagging her, that horrible, unbearable pain, and then Troy's face, Troy's arms, Troy all around her… With a start, she flicked on the light and realized that Troy was gone. There was a sinking feeling in Gabriella's heart as she questioned whether Troy had been there after all. Maybe he'd just been her imagination. But she was sure she'd heard him talking to her, telling her about what had happened to him… She was sure, right? Gabriella sighed, running a hand through her hair, her curls tangled and stiff from her salty tears.

Troy. _Troy_. Why was her relationship with him always so… complicated? From that very first second, to the ice-cream dropping, to the taking care of him when he was sick, to the lovely friend stage, to the angry blow ups, to the silent treatment, and to the even bigger, hurtful arguments… and now, what? She was possibly fantasizing about him being with her. She couldn't deny it, she felt that bubbly feeling in her stomach when she was around him, and she always seemed to think about him, albeit sometimes she was screaming at him in her head. She'd always known those marked passionate feelings between them, but again up to then she'd always thought that was only because he angered her so much. But maybe, just maybe, she'd been wrong. Gabriella sighed again, closing her eyes and slumping back into her bed. It was too soon to be thinking those kinds of thoughts, she wouldn't be dating _anyone_ for a while, that was for sure. She turned over, snuggling into the covers and taking a deep breath. Suddenly, she became aware of a familiar, lingering scent. Troy's favorite cologne, the one that she'd breathed in every time he'd hugged her or stared her down. Gabriella smiled, burying her face into the pillow. So she hadn't just imagined Troy. Maybe…

All of a sudden, Gabriella heard a banging on the door. Troy? She thought, her heart skipping a beat. She jumped out of bed, looking around her room to throw on a sweatshirt over her torn dress, when she realized that she already was wearing a pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt over her torn dress from the night before. _Troy._ Grinning, she flung open her door and sprinted towards the foyer, glancing at the clock on the wall at the same time. 6:32. As she got to the door, the knocking got louder, and without a second though she opened it, breathless, a smile already on her face.

"Tr—" Gabriella swallowed her words, her smile melting off her face. Her eyes narrowed and flicked downward, and she immediately tightened her hands on the doorknob, her muscles tensing, prepared to slam the door shut.

"Gabriella," the familiar voice rasped. "Please."

"What do you want," Gabriella demanded, her voice sharp, a fist of fear closing around her heart. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't call the cops and leave you to die."

"I'm sorry, so sorry," he whispered, stepping closer to the door, a hand pushing on the door. "Please, I… I have nowhere else to go. Help, please, Gabs…" His voice was broken and stuttering, and Gabriella inched the door open a little more. She gasped, as she took her eyes off the ground and looked at him full on for the first time. He was leaning against the door weakly, soaked to the bone, shivering, his chest heaving up and down weakly, and his face bloody, his eye black, cuts all over him.

"Oh, my God," Gabriella was torn between slamming the door in Matt's face and opening it and calling the ambulance to help him. No matter what he'd done to her, no matter how horrible he'd been, she couldn't just leave him like this in the pouring rain. "What happened to you?" She whispered, opening the door and taking his dripping arm. He leaned against her, and she whimpered slightly inside. Matt gasped for breath, and Gabriella realized one of his ribs was probably broken. She grimaced, secretly applauding whoever beat him up, but at the same time, she sat him down the least expensive chair, the unobtrusive plastic one the she herself had bought just to make her feel more comfortable. Gabriella grabbed Matt a towel and laid a tube of Neosporin and bandages on the table. She leaned in and started to apply the shiny ointment to his cuts without a word.

"It was…" Matt said, wincing, coughing slightly.

Gabriella sighed. "It's okay, Matt. I don't need explanations. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this so you can just leave after and never bother me again, okay?"

Matt smiled weakly. "I never lied to you, Gabriella." He stared at her through his wet lashes, his green eyes glowing. "Never."

"Really," Gabriella murmured, drying his face and neck off. She still felt scared, repulsed, and horrified, but she couldn't just leave him like this. She had spent so much time with him, after all, and she did care about him.

"I—" Matt coughed again, wincing in pain as his chest heaved. "I think you deserve an explanation."

"Look, Matt," Gabriella took of his wet jacket and told him to lift up his shirt. "I really don't want to get involved anymore."

"You were so beautiful that night, and you looked so lonely. A beautiful, lonely girl in a new city. How could I refuse?" Matt chuckled quietly. "I didn't know that you were also smart, funny, and perfect in every way. I didn't know that I would fall in love with you, Gabriella." She glanced up at him from where she was applying Neosporin to the cuts on his ribcage. "I just… I'm not just a bartender, Gabs. I am a writer, too, just like you. Bartending was just a way for me to make some more on the side. Then, last year, I got…" He suddenly started coughing again, and Gabriella stopped what she was doing.

"Matt," she said quietly, "I really don't need an explanation. I,,,, I'm going to send you to the hospital, and then I want you to just, stay away. Okay? Please. That's all I'm asking you."

Matt closed his eyes, and nodded shakily. As Gabriella hooked an arm around him to take him to the car, he suddenly tried to speak again. "By the way, Gabriella… Troy did this to me."

Troy brushed a hand through his hair, humming happily under his breath.

"Jesus," Chad rolled his eyes, dropping by the bathroom. "You sound like you're in some musical shit, dude, like Oklahoma." Chad laughed as Troy rolled his eyes. "You know, she likes it natural."

"What the hell are you talking about, man," Troy asked, squeezing some gel into his hand.

"Nope," Chad shook his head. "She likes your hair natural and floppy. Gabriella. She told me."

Troy smiled. "Alright then, floppy it is. Anything for her." Chad laughed again and walked away. Less than twenty minutes later, Troy was standing in the rain outside Sharpay's house, soaked, his hair floppy and wet. He didn't care, though. He was happy, and he wanted to be happy with her, because he loved her. He loved her. _He loved her. _

"Troy," Gabriella said, opening the door. He smiled wider, unable to contain himself. She was dressed in dark jeans and a navy t-shirt, her hair cascading in loose waves around her shoulders. She seemed older, quieter, and he knew that she'd never looked more beautiful to him.

"Hey, Ella," Troy leaned down. He wasn't going for a hug, or a kiss, but he knew that he wanted to be closer to her. Gabriella shied away, before composing herself and shutting the door behind her. Slightly offended, Troy leaned back again.

"So, I heard you paid Matt a visit," Gabriella said quietly, looking up at Troy. He was so close in the small alcove, and Gabriella's head was spinning. She wanted to step closer to Troy, to lose herself in his arms, but at the same time, she couldn't. It had been just a little over twenty four hours, and she had to recover.

"Yeah, um…" Troy blushed slightly, looking down, scratching his neck nervously. "I got pissed off. I would say I'm sorry… but I'm not. He deserved it." Troy's eyes darkened just at the thought of that asshole and what he'd done to Gabriella. Gabriella sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Hey, hey," he said, leaning down towards her. "Ella, I love you. I know it's fast. I know it's crazy. But it has always been this way for me. It doesn't make sense," Troy closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind. "But I know it, because you're the only one that makes me feel sane in this crazy world. You're the only one that really, really knows me, Ella. When I'm around you, I feel like…" he trailed off, his blush deepening.

Gabriella stepped closer to him. "It's cheesy. But I feel like everything is wrong, so wrong. We're always arguing, and we'll always be arguing. We're so different, Troy, but at the same time, that's the way it'll be for us. Because you're like the iciest winter night, and I'm like the hottest summer evening, and we balance each other out. Fire and ice. Perfect. It's crazy. I hate you one moment, and I…" Gabriella smiled slightly. "And I'm in love with you the next." Troy didn't lean down, and he didn't back away, he just looked her straight in the eye as her voice turned into a whisper.

Gabriella's dark chocolate eyes met his icy blue eyes, those beautiful, icy blue eyes. She raised her hand to his cheek, breathing in his familiar, musky scent. She thought she'd had him all figured out, she'd thought that the Troy Bolton she'd met all those months before, the cold, judgmental jerk, had disappeared for good, was just a shell that he'd cast off, but looking at him, she finally understood. Troy wasn't a bunch of layers of different people, a layer of ice, a layer of kindness, and a layer of anger, the final which he'd proved by defending her and going to Matt. He was just Troy Bolton, icy, cold, kind, passionate, funny, kind, and perfect all at the same time. Gabriella smiled, stepping closer to him.

"I love you Gabriella," Troy whispered as she moved her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Troy leaned down his lips inches away from hers, but he stopped, as if he could read her mind.

"But… I need to take this slowly." Gabriella looked apologetically at him, her heart aching. She wished she could be ready for this more than anything, but her heart hurt.

Troy leaned his forehead against hers, his arms encircling her waist. "Of course, Ella," he whispered, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'll wait for you as long as it takes."

**FOUR WEEKS LATER**

"Yes, alright. I understand. Thank you, so much, Mr. Louis. I really appreciate what you've done. I'll get ready now."

Sharpay looked up sadly as Zeke put his phone down gently onto the table. He glanced at her, sighing, before coming to sit before her and taking her hands. Sharpay looked away from him, down at her bulging stomach, her throat tight and her heart sore. Zeke squeezed her hands gently.

"Shar…" he said, his voice quiet but steady. "I'm going to take the job."

"You're going to Paris." Sharpay stated, not asked. She bit her lip, hoping, wishing that he would deny the truth she knew deep down, ever since he'd been offered a position in famous French bakery in Paris.

"They offered me the head chef position," Zeke tried to smile weakly. "I go there with a car plan, life insurance, an apartment… my whole life just waiting for me."

"What if the baby is yours?" Sharpay whispered, her voice shaking, a hand cradling her stomach protectively. "You're just going to abandon us?"

Zeke shook his head, lifting her chin up with a finger. "If the baby is mine, he'll have a better life this way. I'll make almost four times the money I make here, and he can come visit me, in Paris. I'll come back all the time, too. It's for the best, Shar. I need to do this, for my career, for my life. I can't just stay in the same place any longer. I've been head chef of Baylor's Bakery for so long, I need a challenge." Zeke looked at her gently, his words kind and gentle. He meant what he said, in the best way possible.

Sharpay sighed, wrapping her arms around her midsection and letting her tears fall slowly down her cheeks. "When is your flight?"

"In five days." Zeke replied quietly. Sharpay choked back her sobs, pushing Zeke's arms away as he tried to comfort her.

"Just go, Zeke," Sharpay whispered bitterly, turning away from the man she'd thought was the love of her life. "Just go."

With no other option, Zeke kissed Sharpay's forehead and breathed in her sweet perfume, before heading upstairs to pack his things. Sharpay sat on the couch quietly, curled up in the pillows and staring at the burning fire. She listened to the howling wind outside, her tears soaking into the pillow. She felt the baby kick softly inside her, and she sobbed harder.

"It's okay, buddy," she whispered. "We'll be okay."

Suddenly, the phone rang shrilly, breaking the silence and Sharpay reached for the phone, her hands shaking. It had been four weeks since the day that she'd gone to the hospital with both Zeke and Chad, and now the results were finally here.

"Hello?" she whispered into the phone. She coughed, clearing her throat and gathering her composure. "Hello?"

"Miss Evans, this is Doctor Smith, I have your results for the paternity test that you took a month ago…" Sharpay held her breath, her heart rate quickening. When she heard the name, she opened her eyes, thanked the doctor, and quickly hung up. She then immediately texted the four people on her speed dial.

Taylor stood outside Chad's room, her head hesitating on the doorknob. She could see him staring at the picture in his lap. It was the picture again, that same one that stood on his nightstand, the one that he worshipped. She didn't need to go closer to know it was the picture of Chad and Sharpay, the one where they both had matching smiles, where he was laughing, gazing lovingly at her, and her head was tucked under his chin, her nose scrunched up with giggles. The lake stretched out behind them, glittering like diamonds in the sun, their hair blowing in the wind. It was the picture of happiness, what you'd expect in movies and cheesy romance novels. Taylor sighed, watching Chad as he stared at the picture. All this time… and he still wasn't over Sharpay.

"Hey," Taylor said quietly. Chad looked up, his eyes red.

"Hey, Taylor," Chad replied, glancing back down at the picture in his lap. There had been a time when Taylor truly believed that Chad loved her too, deep down. She really did believe that they had a chance to be together.

"How are you holding up?" She scooted close to him on the bed. "Are you okay? Have you figured out what you want to do?"

Chad sighed, fingering the picture sadly. "Taylor, I still love her. Still. It kills me. But I know now, that even if the baby isn't mine, I'll be there for her. I want to be a part of her life, you know? No matter how much it hurts, because I know she loves me, too. Deep down."

Taylor winced inside, hearing his words. How true. "Yeah," Taylor patted his shoulder comfortingly. "I understand completely."

"You're such a good friend, Tay," Chad looked up at her with watery eyes. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me."

"No problem," Taylor smiled. There was a time when she believed that they could be together, and maybe they could've. But now, she knew the only thing she could do for Chad was to be there for him in a time like this. "So do you think the baby is yours?"

Chad looked at her knowingly. "The chances are small, but I can hope, right? It doesn't matter anyway. I'll be broken hearted either way."

Taylor took a deep breath, gazing at him sadly. His profile, outlined in the dim sunlight. His bushy afro, the one she'd loved since grade school. His laugh lines, so prominent and clear. Goodbye, she whispered. "You know, Chad, even if the baby is Zeke's, I think you should go for it, if you really love her. You should fight for her, Chad. Don't just give up, okay?"

Chad shook his head. "I don't know, Tay. That's pretty hard. She obviously doesn't want to be with me."

"But like you said, she does, deep down. So don't give up. Never give up." _Don't be like me_, Taylor whispered to him. "Fight for her."

Chad sighed, glancing at the picture. "I don't know, Tay. I don't know."

The next day, Gabriella awoke to sunshine streaming in through her windows. The birds seemed louder than usual, singing at the top of their lungs. She smiled, stretching. For the first time in weeks, she felt full. Happy. Content. The lonely ache that had haunted her for so long was barely a whisper now, overshadowed by her overwhelming joy. As she looked at the finished essays on her open laptop, she knew she was okay again. For the past few weeks, she and Troy had been just friends, best friends, doing friend things. She was happy with that, of course, because they were laughing and arguing and both so content, but now she knew she was ready for more. She jumped out of bed, and glanced in the mirror. She looked older, more mature, and different. But she was ready. _Ready. _

**A/N: Hey! I am so, unbelievably sorry for the late update. I feel so bad. I've been so busy lately, and I am truly, truly sorry for this late post. I hope you gusy liked this chapter, though! Kind of a filler, leading on the grand finale. Haha. Anyways, this story really is ending, and the thought horrifies me. I have had such an amazing time writing and reading your comments and reviews, and it has made me so happy. So really, thank you all for your wonderful feedback! **

**So what do you guys think? Whose baby is it? VOTE NOW if you haven't already! And do you think that Gabriella and Troy will finally be together, like they're meant to be? How about Matt? Jerk or just a poor, horny guy? Would you have taken him in, or would you have left him standing in the rain? What about Zeke? What do you think of his actions? Leaving, even though the baby might be his? Poor Sharpay. Poor Chad. Poor Taylor. Makes me feel so evil, but hey, life isn't fair. **

**Thank you all for reading, and please, review! You guys mean the world to me. By the way, I have plans for a new story, one that I am super excited about (also the one the I mentioned a few chapters ago, with more fluff than this), so tune in! It will be out soon. Thank you guys. I couldn't have made it this far without you. Reviews are love! **

**LOTS OF LOVE,**

**LEXI**


	13. Chapter 13

**Title: Fire And Ice**

**Summary:** They repel like magnets; he's the mysterious boy, living the perfect life in LA, she's the determined girl, struggling as a journalist. Their worlds clash, one hiding, one digging. Fire and ice were never meant to be together, were they?

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

"Well done, Gabriella," Mr. Lancaster glanced up from his laptop, Gabriella's latest article open on the screen. He nodded approvingly at the petite brunette sitting across from him. "I've got to say, over these past nine months, you've really proven your skills and unlimited bandwidth to me. I'm very impressed, and very satisfied. Your cover of Mr. Bolton was extremely satisfactory, and that story, I believe, has come to a happy ending." He smiled with a glint in his eye, glancing meaningfully at a blushing Gabriella. "However, although I believe that you can grow to your full potential as a writer at the main department, our board believes that you do your job so well here in the Entertainment department that we can't bear to let you transfer."

Gabriella struggled to keep her features calm, her expression unreadable. _The main news department? _This was the reason she moved to LA, and nine months after her first paper had been published, here she was, still in the Entertainment department. She loved writing about Troy, and she knew that people liked reading what she wrote, but to do this forever? The money was good, she had a mostly free schedule, it was wonderful in many ways, but she couldn't help the bitter disappointment that settled in her stomach.

Mr. Lancaster noted the similarity between Gabriella's expressionless reaction and the old default setting of Troy Bolton. "I'm sorry, Miss Montez, but I know that you'll be able to perform spectacularly here in my department. You have the rest of the day off." With a sympathetic smile, he dismissed her and turned back to her article. A pity, he thought to himself, she has such great talent.

Gabriella tried to keep her emotions buried deep inside her, but she couldn't help sighing. All these months of all-nighters and countless articles, and she was back where she started. This wasn't what she came all the way here to LA for, and she felt that sad, sour feeling when your dreams are crushed under the foot of reality. She bid her colleagues goodbye with a forced smile, and clutched her bag tightly as she left the familiar building. It was early June, and the sun shone, birds sang, and everyone could feel summer in the air. The weather seemed too perfect, too happy, and she ran a hand through her curls, at a loss of what to do. Should she stay here, and write articles about basketball superstars and rich actresses for the rest of her life? Could she force herself to do that, when all she wanted to do was get on the field, dig up stories, and really impact the world? She was about to raise her arm, prepared to flag down a taxi, but she suddenly stopped, her breath catching in her throat. There he was, sitting on a bench right in front of her office, his head tilted back, soaking in the warm sunlight. His golden hair glinted, and Gabriella traced the graceful lines of his sculpted muscles with her eyes, a small smile forming on her lips. Big, dark sunglasses covered half his face, but she knew behind those tinted lenses glowed a pair of icy blue eyes. She sat down on the bench beside him, perfectly fitting into the curve of his arm. She rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"Hey there, gorgeous," he whispered, breathing in her sweet, floral perfume. "How was your day?"

Although her confusion and sadness had melted away at the sight of him, there, waiting for her, she sighed. "Lancaster just informed me that I'll be spending the rest of my days writing about anorexic heiresses and philanthropic billionaires." She could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest as he breathed, the strong beating of his heart under her cheek, and suddenly, spending the rest of her days writing about superficial things didn't seem so bad, as long as he was here.

Troy knew that group of people included him, but he wrapped his arm tighter around Gabriella. "I'm sorry to hear that, Ella. They're blind. You should be out there, interviewing people and digging up everyone's dirty secrets. Your articles should be on the front page, not covering some lame basketball player with serious problems."

Gabriella laughed, looking up at him with grateful eyes. Of course he would be there to cheer her up. "Not lame. Smart, funny, gorgeous…" Gabriella slid onto Troy's lap effortlessly, taking off the pair of sunglasses she knew he wore to keep the paparazzi away and revealing his piercing blue eyes that she loved so much, before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You forgot sexy," Troy whispered, raising his eyebrows at his usually conservative girlfriend's display of PDA. She giggled and dipped her head down, pressing her lips to the skin behind his ear.

"Extremely, unbelievably, mind-blowingly sexy," she ran her hands down his muscular chest, before capturing his lips in a kiss. In the warm sunlight, with Troy's strong arms around her, his hands running up the inside of her shirt, and his lips on hers, she felt all her disappointment in her career disappear, instead replaced with a burning sensation between her legs. Her heart rate spiked as his hands slipped higher under the hemline of her skirt…

Suddenly, someone coughed deliberately behind them. Troy and Gabriella both looked up in surprise, and Gabriella felt another wave of disappointment as Troy removed his hands. She twisted around, and Troy wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her close to him.

"Ahem," Gordon cleared his throat again, his eyes sparkling with laughter, "I have been sent by the entire office to tell you, Montez, that although we are all truly enjoying your show, Mr. Lancaster does not appreciate seeing you two, erm, grope each other." Gordon's smile widened as Gabriella blushed furiously. "I suggest you two take it somewhere slightly more private… Maybe the public bathroom or, I don't know, the public pool?"

Gabriella laughed, and gave Gordon a friendly shove. "Alright, alright, message received. See you later, Gordon."

Gordon nodded, grinning. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bolton. Huge fan." He turned around and walked away, calling over his shoulder, "Use protection!"

Troy laughed, shaking his head. "We should go somewhere more private," he kissed Gabriella's neck, sending shivers up her spine. "I have a surprise for you, by the way."

Gabriella grasped Troy's hands, unwilling to let him let go of her. "I don't need any surprises, Troy. I'm perfect if you're here." She laughed, kissing the cheek of the man she once hated. How wrong she'd been about him.

Troy chuckled. "Cheesy, Ella, but I like it." He stood up, pulling her up with him. "Don't worry, I'm hoping that you'll like it."

Fifteen minutes later, Gabriella was at a loss for words, something that was extremely rare for her. In front of her, stood a house. But it wasn't just a normal house; it was perfect in every way. It was the kind of house that you don't expect to see in the middle of a big, bustling city like LA, the kind that's cozy and quaint and old-fashioned, with shutters and a big garden. They were in a neighborhood that she'd never been in before, yet it was only ten minutes from her office and the park.

"It's beautiful," she murmured in awe, turning towards Troy, who was studying her seriously. "What is it?"

Troy scratched his neck nervously, a flicker of anxiety passing over his normally calm features. "Um, well, this is the house that my dad grew up in, and it's mine now. The other day Shar told me that she was upset because you talked to her about getting your own place, since you have been here for so long, and I was thinking that it's…"

"Perfect," Gabriella finished, breaking into a grin. "You mean, we could live here? Together?"

"Um, yeah," Troy raised his eyebrows questioningly. "What do you think? Too fast? Because that's totally cool, you know, I get it—"

"I want to live with you, Troy. Here." Gabriella stepped closer to him, her eyes burning into his happily. Troy breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Really? Even though I raped someone?" He looked at her seriously, his icy blue eyes searching her warm brown ones.

"Really." Gabriella responded surely, confidently, without a pause. She placed her hands on his chest before sliding them around his neck. "Of course."

"I love you," he whispered, leaning down towards her, his arms sliding around her waist and pulling her close to him.

Gabriella smiled. "I love you too, Troy." She was positive when she said the words, and as he kissed her, she suddenly flashed back to all those months ago, when she first met him. She remembered when she hated him, hated those icy blue eyes, hated that cold, hard shell around him. She remembered when she feared him, when she recognized his jacket, when she realized that he raped that girl. She remembered everything that they'd been through together, each fiery insult, each argument, each kiss, each lingering touch, and each burning stare. She remembered when he'd been there for her when she was at her weakest, when she was scared and hurt out of her mind, how he'd been waiting for her with open arms after she'd hurt him. She loved him with all her heart, with every fiber of her being.

She knew she was ready as they stumbled through the open door, as he navigated her carefully through bare rooms until they got to the secluded garden. Gabriella could barely breathe as he lay her on the soft grass, his hands running all over her body. With a fiery passion she'd never felt before, she pulled his shirt over his head, opening her eyes and running her hands over his tan, perfect muscles.

Suddenly, Troy tore himself away from her, breathing heavily, his blue eyes hazy with lust. "Wait, Ella. Are you sure?" All he wanted to do was to take her right there, but it was a sensitive subject for both of them. They'd taken it slow for the past few months, and he wanted to be sure that she wasn't still hurting from what Matt had done.

"Positive."

* * *

><p>Gabriella sighed happily as Troy's bare arms wrapped around her, his lips on her neck. She could barely breathe, her chest rising and falling rapidly, but she was utterly content. Happy. Euphoric, even. She felt secure and safe, like nothing in the world could ever hurt them, could ever come between them. It was as if all her troubles, work, Shar's pregnancy, Zeke's absence, being raped, her speckled past with Troy… Everything faded into the distance, a blur on the horizon. All that mattered was she had Troy, and he was here to stay. He'd protect, he'd love her, and he could send her to places she'd never known before, where stars exploded behind her eyelids and her body shuddered with pleasure, his name on her lips. Gabriella's head felt fuzzy just from thinking about it, and her heart started beating faster. With Matt, in her drunken, fuzzy haze, she'd felt like she was being ripped apart, like she'd been dirtied. All she'd wanted to do was scream at the top of her lungs then. With Troy, she wanted to scream too, but for drastically different reasons. With Troy, she wanted him to bring her over that peak again and again and again… Their bodies, slick with sweat and trembling slightly, molded perfectly into each other under the glimmering sun, and Gabriella felt the heat of a blush spread into her cheeks as the full impact of what they'd just done reached her.<p>

"Troy?" she whispered, putting her hands around the muscular arms that incircled her waist.

"Mmhmm?" Troy answered sleepily.

"We just had sex. Many times. Outside. Won't your neighbors…" Gabriella trailed off, her blush deepening as Troy gave a throaty chuckle. He flipped onto his back, pulling Gabriella closer to his chest.

"I think they enjoyed it…" he teased, his blue eyes sparkling. "I sure did."

Gabriella laughed. "Me too. I can't believe I've been missing out on that for the past two months—"

Before she could finish, Troy's phone rang at the same time as Gabriella's. Troy sighed, nuzzling Gabriella's neck. "Let them wait. It's probably Chad, being Chad."

Gabriella shook her head. "I don't know… Both at the same time?" Reluctantly, she disentangled herself from Troy, and went to search for her clothes. She couldn't help turning back to glance at him. Troy sweaty from basketball practice was hot. Troy shirtless was breathtaking. Troy sweaty and hot and looking at her like that… Gabriella wanted to swoon on the spot and curse Taylor and Chad to hell.

She cleared her throat as she flipped her phone open. "Hello?"

"Troy had taken his eyes off his girlfriend's perfect, tantalizing, naked body and had answered his phone as well, although much more irritably. As Gabriella glanced over at him, her eyes reflected the worry that was building up in his chest at Chad's words.

"Shar's in labor, Troy. Get over here, now."

Ten hours and 26 minutes later, Sharpay gave birth to a healthy baby girl. She had tears in her swollen, makeup-less red eyes as she gazed down at the baby in her arms, with caramel skin, light chestnut hair, and dark, almost-black eyes. Her warm tears dripped down her cheeks as she glanced around at the circle of people around her, making baby faces and cooing while patting a part of her body. She took a deep breath.

"I know you guys are dying to ask who the father is, but you're all too nice to ask. It's Zeke." She leveled her eyes at Chad, whose face dropped. "I know, I should've told you earlier. But when I found out, Zeke had already decided to leave… I just couldn't stand telling you guys that the father of my baby was the same man that decided to leave me for a job in Paris, to disappear across the globe, the man I still loved. It was too hard, but I understand now. Zeke, you did what you had to. YOU deserve that job, that new life, everything you've ever wished for. We'll work this out. But in these past few months, you guys have been so good to me…" She trailed off, choking up. But Sharpay was never one to get teary, and she squared her shoulders, clutching the baby closer to her chest.

"Tay, you were the one who helped me manage my career and my finances these past few months, and give those damn superficial and insensitive bastards a piece of your mind. You kept me sane, and gave me a new path when I was stumbling in the dark. Troy, you were always there to cheer me up, share a joke, and you always seemed to know what I needed. You were the one who brought me Chinese take-out and Burger King when Gabs and Tay were yapping about nutrition and balance and zen. Gabs, you stayed up late with me, made time in your busy schedule to keep me company and hold my hair up when I puked, even though you were going through so much yourself. You made me chicken soup, and comforted me about my fears of becoming a mother. And Chad," Shar turned to the man on her right, grasping one of his hands. "You were the one that ran all the midnight craving trips to the grocery store, to get me Rocky Road ice cream and quesadillas. You stayed by me through my unbelievable bitchy moodiness. You watched countless movies with me, and you've been the best friend in the world. Thank you." She choked up, and was immediately engulfed in hugs and soothing voices. They were a family as they sat there together on Sharpay's small hospital bed, the kind that isn't just bonded by blood. The kind that you make yourself, through mutual experiences and likes and dislikes, through arguments and the ups and downs life throws at you. Through love and care, through hatred and anger. That's the family that never grows apart, and as the six of them sat there together, even with all their complicated relationships, it was as if nothing seemed to matter.

About a week later, Sharpay came home to find a waiting Chad. Gabriella smiled as she watched her two best friends through the window as she sat on the doorstep with Taylor. Sharpay and Chad were back together, nothing completely healed yet, but they were on the mend. Gabriella and Taylor watched them talk and talk, Chad's hand tightly grasping Sharpay's, the baby staring at them with big eyes from Sharpay's arms.

"You okay?" Gabriella turned to Taylor, who looked surprisingly calm.

"I'll be fine," Taylor sighed, leaning back against the wall. "It's been ten years, I think it's time I get over him."

"I'm sorry that it has to be this way," Gabriella looked sympathetically at her friend.

"Don't worry, Gabs. I'm a big girl." Taylor smiled a genuine smile, any traces of former jealousy gone from her expression. "They're good together. Chad and I were never meant to be, I guess."

"You'll find someone that deserves you, Tay, someone that will take care of you for a change." Gabriella smiled, reaching out to hold Taylor's hand.

"Let's hope so," Taylor grinned. "But even if I don't, it's okay. I know now that I don't need a man. I can take care of myself… and anyone else that needs me." Taylor said confidently. Gabriella's eyes flickered to Taylor's stomach, where her arm was draped protectively around her. Gabriella's journalistic instincts immediately caught on.

"Oh, no. Taylor… Really—" Gabriella couldn't help smile.

"Look, lover boy is here. I'll talk to you later, kay Gabs?" Taylor cut her off, winking. Gabriella watched her in silence as she strode confidently away, not a falter in her step.

"She'll be fine, Ella," Troy said, sliding an arm around his girlfriend and pulling her close to him.

"Yeah," Gabriella sighed, her head resting on his shoulder. "I love you Troy."

"I love you too, Ella," he whispered, kissing her temple. "Can you believe it? I love the fiery, annoying, bitchy reporter."

Gabriella nudged him, laughing. "And I love that horrible, mean, cold, superficial basketball star with the troubled past."

"You know it's never going to be easy for us, right?" Troy asked, glancing at her. "We'll be arguing all the time, fighting, disagreeing…"

"But we'll always make up, of course. We've been through this before, Troy. I love you, and I'll never leave you, no matter what you did in the past and no matter what happens in the future. Like fire and ice, we balance each other out. Complete each other." Gabriella looked him straight in the eyes, her brown eyes glowing in the early morning sunlight. She looked like she was on fire, her tan skin, soft curls, and chocolate eyes radiating warmth.

"Cheesiness, love," Troy smiled, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Fire and ice, huh," he said, his cerulean eyes glittering in the sunlight, like a thousand crystals. "I like it. You ready to go home?"

Gabriella smiled at the thought of their shared home, waiting quietly for them. "Yeah, you go to the car first, I'm going to go say bye to Shar."

Troy nodded, giving her a lingering kiss. Gabriella watched the love of her life walk down the driveway with that familiar calm, confident lope with a small smile on her face. Suddenly, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She had a brief worry that it was Mr. Lancaster before she remembered she was on leave for the week, due to the news she'd gotten before. She sighed, glancing at the unknown caller ID.

"Hello?" She looked back at Sharpay and Chad, who were wrapped up in each other's arms, staring at the baby lovingly. She glanced over at Troy, her Troy, who was waiting patiently in the car for her, all her things packed in the trunk and ready to go to the new house. He was studying her, his blue eyes as hard and unreadable as they always were, but at the same time, familiar and full of comfort. Troy. Troy Bolton, the cold one. Troy Bolton, the annoying one. Troy Bolton, the one who completed her. Nine months ago, she'd come here looking for a job. Instead, she had a career that was going nowhere, but she'd been changed forever. He was more important to her than anything in the world. Nothing would ever change that.

"Miss Montez, this is the New York Times Editor-In-Chief calling, and we'd like to offer you a job here in New York as a journalist for world news."

**A/N: Hey guys! Well there you go: this is the last chapter. First of all, I cannot believe that I actually finished this story. This is amazing, and I owe it all to you all, as the readers and reviewers. Your feedback has given me so much inspiration and encouragement… Thank you. Secondly, I know this is late. I haven't updated in forever, and I'm sorry. I've been really busy, but I hope you like it. I really do hope that you guys have enjoyed this story, because I've truly had an amazing time writing it. Thirdly, tell me what you think! Anything: the plotline, the pacing, the coupling, the ending… Anything that you have to say, anything that you want to say, please do so. Constructive criticism, what you liked and didn't like… I'm all ears! By the way, there's a missing sex scene in this chapter... I might post it later when I feel like it. Oh, and what do you guys think of an epilogue? Well, tell me what you think of the ending first! Expected? Unexpected?**

**I'm truly heartbroken to be leaving Gabriella, Troy, Chad, Sharpay and Taylor behind. I've had such an amazing journey exploring their past lives and emotions, and trying to fathom what it'd be like in a world of love and hate, pain and pleasure. What do you think? You are the reason that I've written so much, so please, please give me your feedback!**

**Anyways, again, thank you for reading, and thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed my story. You guys mean the world to me, and I can't thank you enough. I love you ****all.**** You make all the late nights worth it. Thank you.**

**Finally, don't think that this is the last you'll be seeing of me. I've written most of the first chapter for my next story, which will be even more dramatic and romantic than this one (I hope). I'm truly excited to be moving on to a new project, and I hope you guys will check it out! The first chapter with be posted this week, so stay tuned! **

**Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thanks to Elaine, Sabrina, and Sue for the constant help and for putting up with my ramblings about Troy. Thanks to you guys for reading and giving me the motivation to write. Remember, reviews equal love! Tell me what you think, one last time. **

**Lots and lots of love,**

**Lexi.**


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